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STANLKY GAVE A SUDDEN SPR1N(; AND BURIED HIS KNIFE IN 

THE LEOPARD. 



ON THE IRRAWADDY 

A STORY OF 

THE FIRST BURMESE WAR 


BY 


G. A. HENTY 


Author of “ With Clive in India,” ” In the Heart of the Rockies,” “Through Rus- 
sian Snows,” “ When London Burned,” ‘‘ The Dash for Khar- 
toum,” “ Through the Sikh War,” etc. 


IVITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY JV. II. OVEREND 



NEW YORK 

CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS 

1896 



Copyright, 1896, by 

CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS 


iz-3inL 


TROW DIRECTORY 

PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY 
NEW YORK 


PREFACE 


With the exception of the terrible retreat from Afghan- 
istan, none of England’s many little wars have been so fatal 
in proportion to the number of those engaged as our first 
expedition to Burma. It was undertaken without any due 
comprehension of the difficulties to be encountered from the 
effects of climate and the deficiency of transport ; the power 
and still more the obstinacy and arrogance of the court of 
Ava were altogether underrated ; and it was considered that 
our possession of her ports would assuredly bring the enemy, 
who had wantonly forced the struggle upon us, to submis- 
sion. Events, however, proved the completeness of the 
error. The Burman policy of carrying off every boat on 
the river, laying waste the whole country and driving away 
the inhabitants and the herds, maintained our army as pris- 
oners in Rangoon through the first wet season, and caused the 
loss of half the white officers and men first sent there. The 
subsequent campaign was no less fatal, and although large 
reinforcements had been sent, fifty per cent, of the whole 
died, so that less than two thousand fighting men remained 
in the ranks when the expedition arrived within a short dis- 
tance of Ava. Not until the last Burmese army had been 
scattered did the court of Ava submit to the by no means 


VI 


PREFACE 


onerous terms we imposed. Great, indeed, was the contrast 
presented by this first invasion of the country with the last 
war in 1885, which brought about the final annexation of 
Burma. Then a fleet of steamers conveyed the troops up 
the noble river, while in 1824 a solitary steamer was all that 
India could furnish to aid the flotilla of row-boats. No worse 
government has ever existed than that of Burma when, with 
the boast that she intended to drive the British out of India, 
she began the war ; no people were ever kept down by a 
more grinding tyranny, and the occupation of the country 
by the British has been an even greater blessing to the 
population than has that of India. Several works, some by 
eye-witnesses, others compiled from official documents, 
appeared after the war. They differ remarkably in the 
relation of details, and still more in the spelling of the names 
both of persons and places. I have chiefly followed those 
given in the narratives of Mr. H. H. Wilson, and of Major 
Snodgrass, the military secretary to the commander of the 
expedition. 


CONTENTS 


CHAP. 

1. 

A New Career, 





PAGE 

. I 

II. 

The Outbreak of War, 

• • 




. i8 

III. 

A Prisoner, 

• • 




• 34 

IV. 

A Ruined Temple, 

• • 




• 53 

V. 

With Brigands, . 

• • 




• 71 

VI. 

Among Friends, 

• • 




. 89 

VII. 

On the Staff, . 

• • 




. 107 

VIII. 

The Pagoda, 

• • 




. 125 

IX. 

Victories, . 





. 143 

X. 

The Advance, . 





. 160 

XI. 

Donabew, . 



• 


. 177 

XII. 

Harry Carried Off, 

• • 


• 


. 195 

XIII. 

Preparing a Rescue, . 

• • 


• 


. 213 

XIV. 

In the Temple, . 

• • 




. 230 

XV. 

The Attack, 

• » 




. 248 

XVI. 

Rejoining, . 

• • 

• 



. 266 

XVII. 

The Pride of Burma Humbled, 

• 



. 284 

XVIII. 

In Business Again, . 

. 

• 


. 

. 301 



^ A 


ILLUSTRATIONS 



PAGE 


“Stanley gave a sudden spring and buried his knife in 

THE LEOPARD,” ...... Frontispiece ^ 70 

Stanley is brought before Bandoola the Burmese Gen- 


eral, 


“They forced the canoe behind buspies so as to be en- 
tirely concealed,” 87 


y 


The Burmese make a Great Effort to Capture Pagoda- 


Hill, 


138 


“ Stanley cut down the man who was about to fire the 


184 


HUT, 


“The great snake moved his head higher and higher, 

HISSING ANGRILY,” . . 227 

“ In vain THE Burmese tried to force their way into 

THE CHAMBER,” . 25O 

“ The old Burmese general was carried from point to 

POINT in a litter,” 282 


I 






ON THE IRRAWADDY 


CHAPTER I 

A NEW CAREER 


PARTY was assembled in a room of an hotel in 
Calcutta at the end of the year 1822. It con- 
sisted of a gentleman, a lady in deep mourning, 
a boy of between fourteen and fifteen, and two 
girls of thirteen and twelve. 

I think you had better accept my offer, Nellie,” the gen- 
tleman was saying. “ You will find it hard work enough to 
make both ends meet with these two girls, and Stanley would 
be a heavy drain on you. The girls cost nothing but their 
clothes, but he must go to a decent school, and then there 
would be the trouble of thinking what to do with him after- 
wards. If I could have allowed you a couple of hundred a 
year it would have been altogether different, but you see I am 
fighting an uphill fight myself, and need every penny that I 
can scrape together. I am getting on, and I can see well 
enough that, unless something occurs to upset the whole thing, 
I shall be doing a big trade one of these days, but every half- 




2 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


penny of profit has to go into the business. So, as you know, 
I cannot help you at present, though by the time the girls grow 
up I hope I shall be able to do so, and that to a good extent. I 
feel sure that it would not be a bad thing for Stanley ; he will 
soon get to be useful to me, and in three or four years will be 
a valuable assistant. Speaking Hindustani as well as he does, 
he won’t be very long in picking up enough of the various 
dialects in Kathee and Chittagong for our purpose, and by 
twenty he will have a share of the business, and be on the high- 
way towards making his fortune. It will be infinitely better 
than anything he is likely to find in England, and he will be 
doing a man’s work at the age when he would still be a 
school-boy in England. I have spoken to him about it. Of 
course he does not like leaving you, but he says that he should 
like it a thousand times better than perhaps having to go into 
some humdrum office in England.” 

‘‘ Thank you, Tom,” Mrs. Brooke said with a sigh. ** It 
will be very hard to part with him — terribly hard — but I see 
that it is by far the best thing for him, and, as you say, in a 
monetary way it will be a relief to me. I think I can man- 
age very comfortably on the pension, in some quiet place at 
home with the two girls, but Stanley’s schooling would be a 
heavy drain. I might even manage that, for I might earn a 
little money by painting, but there would be the question of 
what to do with him when he left school, and without friends 
or influence it will be hopeless to get him into any good sit- 
uation. You see, Herbert’s parents have both died since he 
came out here, and though he was distantly related to the Earl 
of Netherley, he was only a second cousin or something of that 
kind, and knew nothing about the family, and of course I 
could not apply to them.” 

Certainly not, Nellie,” her brother agreed. “There is 
nothing so hateful as posing as a poor relation — and that is a 


A NEW CAREER 


3 


connection rather than a relationship. Then you will leave 
the boy in my hands?” 

“ I am sure that it will be best,” she said with a tremor in 
her voice, “ and at any rate I shall have the comfort of know- 
ing that he will be well looked after.” 

Mrs. Brooke was the widow of a captain in one of the na- 
tive regiments of the East India Company. He had, six weeks 
before this, been carried off suddenly by an outbreak of cholera, 
and she had been waiting at Calcutta in order to see her 
brother before sailing for England. She was the daughter of 
an English clergyman, who had died some seventeen years be- 
fore. Nellie, who was then eighteen, being motherless as well 
as fatherless, had determined to sail for India. A great friend 
of hers had married and gone out a year before. Nellie’s 
father was at that time in bad health, and her friend had said 
to her at parting: Now mind, Nellie, I have your promise 

that if you should find yourself alone here, you will come out 
to me in India. I shall be very glad to have you with me, 
and I don’t suppose you will be on my hands very long; 
pretty girls don’t remain single many months in India.” So, 
seeing nothing better to do, Nellie had, shortly after her 
father’s death, sailed for Calcutta. 

Lieutenant Brooke was also a passenger on board the Ava, 
and during the long voyage he and Nellie Pearson became en- 
gaged, and were married from her friend’s house a fortnight 
after their arrival. Nellie was told that she was a foolish girl, 
for that she ought to have done better, but she was perfectly 
happy. The pay and allowances of her husband were sufficient 
for them to live upon in comfort, and though, when the chil- 
dren came, there was little to spare, the addition of pay when 
he gained the rank of captain was ample for their wants. 
They had been in fact a perfectly happy couple — both had 
bright and sunny dispositions and made the best of everything. 


4 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


and she had never had a serious care until he was suddenly- 
taken away from her. 

Stanley had inherited his parents’ disposition, and, as his 
sisters, coming so soon after him, occupied the greater por- 
tion of his mother’s care, he was left a good deal to his own 
devices, and became a general pet in the regiment, and was 
equally at home in the men’s lines and in the officers’ bun- 
galows. The native language came as readily to him as Eng- 
lish, and by the time he was ten he could talk in their own 
tongue with the men from the tjiree or four different dis- 
tricts from which the regiment had been recruited. His fa- 
ther devoted a couple of hours a day to his studies ; he did 
not attempt to teach him Latin, which would, he thought, be 
altogether useless to him, but gave him a thorough ground- 
ing in English and Indian history and arithmetic, and in- 
sisted upon his spending a certain time each day in reading 
standard English authors. 

Tom Pearson, who was five years younger than his sister, 
had come out to India four years after her. He was a lad full 
of life and energy. As soon as he left school, finding himself 
the master of a hundred pounds, the last remains of the small 
sum that his father had left behind him, he took a second- 
class passage to Calcutta. As soon as he had landed he went 
round to the various merchants and offices, and finding that 
he could not, owing to a want of references, obtain a clerkship, 
he took a place in the store of a Parsee merchant who dealt in 
English goods. 

Here he remained for five years, by which time he had 
mastered two or three native languages, and had obtained a 
good knowledge of business. He now determined to start on 
his own account ; he had lived hardly, saving up every rupee 
not needed for actual necessaries, and at the end of the five 
years he had in all a hundred and fifty pounds. He had long 


A NEW CAREER 


5 


before this determined that the best opening for trade was 
among the tribes on the eastern borders of the British terri- 
tory, and had specially devoted himself to the study of the 
languages of Kathee and Chittagong. Investing the greater 
portion of his money in goods suitable for the trade, he em- 
barked at Calcutta in a vessel bound for Chittagong. There 
he took passage in a native craft going up the great river to 
Sylhet, where he established his head- quarters, and thence, 
leaving the greater portion of his goods in the care of a na- 
tive merchant with whom his late e'mployer had had dealings, 
scarted with a native, and four donkeys on which his goods 
were packed, to trade among the wild tribes. 

His success fully equalled his anticipations, and gradually 
he extended his operations, going as far east as Manipur and 
south almost as far as Chittagong. The firm in Calcutta, 
from whom he had in the first place purchased his goods, 
sent him up fresh stores as he required them, and soon, see- 
ing the energy with which he was pushing his business, gave 
him considerable credit, and he was able to carry on his 
operations on an increasingly larger scale. Sylhet remained 
his head-quarters, but he had a branch at Chittagong whither 
goods could be sent direct from Calcutta, and from this he 
drew' his supplies for his trade in that province. Much of his 
business was carried on by means of the waterways and the 
very numerous streams that covered the w'hole country, and 
enabled him to carry his goods at a far cheaper rate than he 
could transport them by land, and for this purpose he had a 
boat specially fitted up with a comfortable cabin. He de- 
termined from the first to sell none but the best goods in the 
market, and thus he speedily gained the confidence of the na- 
tives, and the arrival of his boats was eagerly hailed by the 
villagers on the banks of the rivers. 

He soon found that money was scarce, and that to do a 


6 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


good business he must take native products in barter for his 
goods, and that in this way he not only did a much larger 
trade, but obtained a very much better price for his wares 
than if he had sold only for money ; and he soon consigned 
considerable quantities to the firm in Calcutta, and by so do- 
ing obtained a profit both ways. He himself paid a visit to 
Calcutta every six months or so, to choose fresh fashions of 
goods and to visit the firm, with whom his dealings every 
year became more extensive. But though laying the founda- 
tions for an extensive business, he was not, as he told his sis- 
ter, at present in a position to help her, for his increasing 
trade continually demanded more and more capital, and the 
whole of his profits were swallowed up by the larger stocks 
that had to be held at his depots at Sylhet, Chittagong, and 
at the mouths of the larger rivers. Twice since he had been 
out he had met his sister at Calcutta, and when she came 
down after her husband’s death and heard from Tom’s agents 
that he would probably arrive there in the course of a fort- 
night, she decided to wait there and meet him. He was 
greatly grieved at her loss, and especially so as he was unable 
to offer her a home; for as his whole time was spent in trav- 
elling, it was impossible for him to do so ; nor indeed would 
she have accepted it. Now that her husband was gone, she 
yearned to be back in England again ; it was, too, far better 
for the girls that she should take them home. But when he 
now offered to take the boy, she felt that, hard as it would be to 
leave Stanley behind, the offer was a most advantageous one 
for him. 

The boy’s knowledge of Indian languages, which would be 
of immense advantage to him in such a life, would be abso- 
lutely useless in England, and, from what Tom told her of 
his business, there could be little doubt that the prospects 
were excellent. Stanley himself, who now saw his uncle for 


A NEW CAREER 


7 


the first time, was attracted to him by the energy and cheeri- 
ness of manner that had rendered him so successful in busi- 
ness, and lie was stirred by the enterprise and adventure of 
the life he proposed for him. More than once in the little 
frequented rivers that stretched into Kathee his boats had 
been attacked by wild tribesmen, and he had to fight hard to 
keep them off ; petty chiefs had at times endeavoured to ob- 
struct his trading, and when at Manipur, he had twice been 
witness of desperate fights between rival claimants for the 
throne. All this was to a boy brought up among soldiers ir- 
resistibly fascinating, especially as the alternative seemed to 
be a seat in a dull counting-house in England. He was then 
delighted when his mother gave her consent to his remaining 
with his uncle, grieved as he was at being parted from her 
and his sisters. The thought that he should in time be able 
to be of assistance to her was a [pleasant one, and aided him 
to support the pain of parting, when, a week later, she sailed 
with the girls for England. 

I suppose you have not done any shooting, Stanley?” 
his uncle asked. 

_ “ Not with a gun, but I have practised sometimes with 
pistols. Father thought that it would be useful.” 

“ Very useful ; and you must learn to shoot well with them 
and with fowling-piece and rifie. What with river thieves, 
and dacoits, and wild tribes, to say nothing of wild beasts, a 
man who travels about as I do, wants to be able to .shoot 
straight. The straighter you shoot, the less likely you are to 
have to do so. I have come to be a good shot myself, and 
whenever we row up a river I constantly practise either at 
floating objects in the water, or at birds or other marks in 
the trees. I have the best weapons that money can buy. It 
is my one extravagance, and the result is that to my boat- 
men and the men about me my shooting seems to be marvel- 


8 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


lous ; they tell others of it, and the result is that I am re- 
garded with great respect. I have no doubt whatever that it 
has saved me from much trouble, for the natives have almost 
got to believe that I only have to point my gun, and the man 
I wish to kill falls dead, however far distant.” 

Two days after the departure of Mrs. Brooke her brother 
and Stanley started down the Hoogly in a native trader. 

She is a curious-looking craft, uncle.” 

“Yes; she would not be called handsome in home waters, 
but she is uncommonly fast, and I find her much more con- 
venient in many ways than a British merchantman.” 

‘ ‘ Is she yours, uncle ? ’ ’ 

“ No, she is not mine, and I do not exactly charter her, 
but she works principally for me. You see the wages are so 
low that they can work a craft like this for next to nothing. 
Why, the captain and his eight men together don’t get 
higher pay than the boatswain of an English trader. The 
captain owns the vessel ; he is quite content if he gets a few 
rupees a month in addition to what he considers his own rate 
of pay ; his wife and his two children live on board. If the 
craft can earn twenty rupees a week, he considers that he is 
doing splendidly. At the outside he would not pay his men 
more than four rupees a month each, and I suppose that he 
would put down his services at eight, so that would leave him 
forty rupees a month as the profit earned by the ship. In 
point of fact I keep him going pretty steadily. He makes 
trips backwards and forwards between the different depots ; 
carries me up the rivers for a considerable distance ; does a 
little trade on his own account, — not in goods such as I sell, 
you know, but purely native stores ; takes a little freight when 
he can get it, and generally a few native passengers. 

‘ ‘ I pay him fifteen rupees a week, and I suppose he earns 
from five to ten in addition, so that the arrangement suits us 


A NEW CAREER 


9 


both admirably. I keep the stern cabin for myself. As you 
see, she has four little brass guns which I picked up for a 
song at Calcutta, and there are twenty-four muskets aft. It is 
an arrangement that the crew are to practise shooting once a 
week, so they have all come to be pretty fair shots, and the 
captain himself can send a two-pound shot from those little 
guns uncommonly straight. You will be amused when you 
see us practising for action. The captain’s wife and the two 
boys load the guns, and do it very quickly too ; he runs round 
from gun to gun, takes aim, and fires ; the crew shout and yell 
and bang away with their muskets ; I take the command, and 
give a few pice among them if the firing has been accurate. 
We have been attacked once or twice in the upper waters, but 
have always managed to beat the robbers off without much 
difficulty. The captain fires away till they get pretty close, 
and I pepper them with my rifles ; I have three of them. 
When they get within fifty yards, the crew open fire, and as 
they have three muskets each, they can make it very hot for 
the pirates. I have a store of hand grenades, and if they 
push on, I throw two or three on board when they get within 
ten yards, and that has always finished the matter. They 
don’t understand the things bursting in the middle of them. 
I don’t mean to say that my armament would be of much use 
if we were trading along the coast of the Malay Peninsula or 
among the Islands, but it is quite enough to deal with the 
petty robbers of these rivers. ’ ’ 

But I thought that you had a boat that you went up the 
rivers in, uncle ? ” 

“ Yes we tow a row-boat and a store-boat up behind this 
craft as far as she can go, that is, as long as she has wind 
enough to make against the sluggish stream. When she can 
go no further, I take to the row-boat; it has eight rowers, 
carries a gun — it is a twelve-pounder howitzer that I have 


10 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


had cut short so that it is only about a foot long. Of course 
it won’t carry far, but that is not necessary. Its charge is a 
pound of powder and a ten -pound bag of bullets, and at a 
couple of hundred yards the balls scatter enough to sweep two 
or three canoes coming abreast, and as we can charge and fire 
the little thing three times in a minute, it is all that we require 
for practical purposes ; it is only on a few of the rivers we go 
up that there is any fear of trouble. On the river from Sylhet 
to the east and its branches in Kathee, or, as it is sometimes 
called, Kasi, the country is comparatively settled. The 
Goomtee beyond Oiidypore is well enough until it gets into 
Kaayn, which is what they call independent. That is to say, 
it owns no authority, and some villages are peaceable and well 
disposed, while others are savage. The same may be said of 
the Munnoo and Fenny rivers. For the last two years I have 
done a good deal of trade in Assam up the Brahmaputra river. 
As far as Rungpoor there are a great many villages on the 
banks, and the people are quiet and peaceable.” 

“Then you don’t go farther south than Chittagong, 
uncle ? ” 

“ No. The Burmese hold Aracan on the south, and indeed 
for some distance north of it there is no very clearly-defined 
border. You see the great river runs from Rangoon very 
nearly due north, though with a little east in it, and extends 
along at the back of the districts I trade with ; so that the 
Burmese are not very far from Manipur, which indeed stands 
on a branch of the Irrawaddy, of which another branch runs 
nearly up to Rungpoor. We shall have big trouble with them 
one of these days ; indeed we have had troubles already. You 
see the Burmese are a great and increasing power, and have so 
easily conquered all their neighbours that they regard them- 
selves as invincible. Until the beginning of the eighteenth 
century the Burmese were masters of Pegu ; then the people 


A NEW CAREER 


11 


of that country, with the help of the Dutch and Portuguese, 
threw off their yoke. But the Burmese were not long kept 
down, for in 1753 Alompra, a hunter, gathered a force round 
him, and, after keeping up an irregular warfare for some time, 
was joined by so many of his countrymen that he attacked 
and captured Ava, conquered the whole of Pegu, and in 1759 
the English trading colony at Negrais were massacred. 

‘‘This, however, was not the act of Alompra, but of the 
treachery of a Frenchman named Levine, and of an Arme- 
nian, who incited the Burmese of the district to exterminate 
the English, hoping, no doubt, thus to retrieve in a new quar- 
ter the fortunes of France, which in India were being extin- 
guished by the genius of Clive. The English were at the 
time far too occupied with the desperate struggle they were 
having in India to attempt to revenge the massacre of their 
countrymen at Negrais. Very rapidly the Burman power 
spread. They captured the valuable Tenasserim coast from 
Siam, repulsed a formidable invasion from China, annexed 
Aracan and dominated Manipur, and thus became masters of 
the whole tract of country lying between China and Hindu- 
stan. As they now bordered upon our territory, a mission was 
sent in 1794 to them from India, with a proposal for the set- 
tlement of boundaries, and for the arrangement of trade 
between the two countries. Nothing came of it, for the Bur- 
mese had already proposed to themselves the conquest of 
India, and considered the mission as a proof of the terror that 
their advance had inspired among us. 

“ After the conquest by them of Aracan in 1784, there had 
been a constant irritation felt against us by the Burmese, ow- 
ing to the fact that a great number of fugitives from that 
country had taken refuge in the swamps and islands of Chitta- 
gong, from which they from time to time issued and made 
raids against the Burmese. In 18 ii these fugitives, in alii- 


12 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


ance with some predatory chiefs, invaded Aracan in force, and 
being joined by the subject population there, expelled the 
Burmese. These, however, soon reconquered the province. 
The affair was, nevertheless, unfortunate, since the Burmese 
naturally considered that as the insurrection had begun with 
an invasion by the fugitives in Chittagong, it had been fo- 
mented by us. This was in no way the fact : we had no 
force there capable of keeping the masses of fugitives in order, 
but we did our best, and arrested many of the leaders when 
they returned after their defeat. This, however, was far 
from satisfying the Burmese. A mission was sent to Ava to 
assure them of our friendly intentions, and that we had had 
nothing whatever to do with the invasion, and would do all 
we could to prevent its recurrence. The Burmese govern- 
ment declined to receive the mission. 

‘‘We ourselves had much trouble with the insurgents, for, 
fearful of re-entering Burma after their defeat, they now car- 
ried on a series of raids in our territory, and it was not un- 
til i8i6 that these were finally suppressed. Nevertheless the 
court of Ava remained dissatisfied, and a fresh demand was 
raised for the surrendei of the chiefs who had been captured, 
and of the whole of the fugitives living in the government of 
Chittagong. The Marquis of Hastings replied that the Brit- 
ish government could not, without a violation of the princi- 
ples of justice, deliver up those who had sought its protection ; 
that tranquillity now existed ; and there was no probability of 
a renewal of the disturbances, but that the greatest vigilance 
should be used to prevent and punish the authors of any raid 
that might be attempted against Aracan. A year later a sec- 
ond letter was received, demanding on the part of the king 
the cession of Ramoo, Chittagong, Moorshedabad, and Dacca, 
that is to say, of the whole British possessions east of the 
Ganges. Lord Hastings simply replied that if it was possible 


A NEW CAREER 


13 


to suppose that the demand had been dictated by the King of 
Ava, the British government would be justified in regarding it 
as a declaration of war. 

‘‘To this the Burmese made no reply ; doubtless they had 
heard of the successes we had gained in Central India, and 
had learned that our whole force was disposable against them. 
Three years ago the old king died, and a more warlike mon- 
arch succeeded him. Since i8io they have been mixed up 
in the troubles that have been going on in Assam, where a 
civil war had been raging. One party or other has sought 
their assistance, and fighting has been going on there nearly 
incessantly, and two months ago the Burmese settled the 
question by themselves taking possession of the whole coun- 
try. This has, of course, been a serious blow to me. 
Although disorder has reigned, it has not interfered with my 
trading along the banks of the river ; but now that the Bur- 
mese have set up their authority, I shall, for a time anyhow, 
be obliged to give up my operations there, for they have 
evinced considerable hostility to us — have made raids near 
Rungpoor on our side of the river, and have pulled down a 
British flag on an island in the Brahmaputra. We have 
taken, in consequence, the principality of Cachar under our 
protection — indeed its two princes, seeing that the Burmese 
were beginning to invade their country, invited us to take 
this step — and we thus occupy the passes from Manipur into 
the low country of Sylhet.” 

“I wonder that you have been able to trade in Manipur, 
uncle, as the Burmese have been masters there.” 

“ I am not trading with the capital itself, and the Burmese 
have been too occupied with their affairs in Assam to exergse 
much authority in the country. Besides, you see there has 
not been war between the two countries. Our merchants at 
Rangoon still carry on their trade up the Irrawaddy, and in 


14 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


Assam this spring the only trouble I had, was, that I had to 
pay somewhat higher tolls than I had done before. However, 
now that Cachar is under our protection, I hope that I shall 
make up for my loss of trade in Assam by doing better than 
before in that province.” 

“ I thought you called it Kathee, uncle?” 

So it is generally named; but as it is spoken of as Cachar 
in the proclamation assuming the protectorate, I suppose it 
will be called so in future ; but all these names out here are 
spelt pretty much according to fancy.” 

While this conversation had been going on the boat had 
been running fast down the river, passing several European 
vessels almost as if they had been standing still. 

‘‘I should not have thought that a boat like this would 
pass these large ships,” Stanley said. 

We have a good deal to learn in the art of sailing yet,” 
his uncle replied. “ A great many of these Indian dhows 
can run away from a square-rigged ship in light weather. I 
don’t know whether it is the lines of their hulls or the cut of 
the sails, but there is no doubt about their speed. They seem 
to skim over the water while our bluff-bowed craft shove their 
way through it. I suppose some day we shall adopt these 
long sharp bows; when we do it will make a wonderful differ- 
ence in our rate of sailing. Then, too, these craft have a 
very light draft of water; but, on the other hand, they have a 
deep keel which helps them to lie close to the wind, and that 
long overhanging bow renders them capital craft in heavy 
weather, for as they meet the sea they rise over it gradually, 
instead of its hitting them full on the bow as it does our ships. 
We have much to learn yet in the way of shipbuilding.” 

The trader had his own servant with him, and the man 
now came up and said that a meal was ready, and they at 
once entered the cabin. It was roomy and comfortable, and 


A NEW CAREER 


15 


was, like the rest of the boat, of varnished teak. There were 
large windows in the stern ; it had a table with two fixed 
benches, and there were broad, low sofas on each side. 
Above these the muskets were disposed in racks, while at the 
end by the door were Tom Pearson’s own rifles, four brace of 
pistols, and a couple of swords. Ten long spears were sus- 
pended from the roof of the cabin in leather slings. The 
floor, like the rest of the cabin, was varnished. 

“ It looks very comfortable, uncle.” 

“ Yes j you see I live quite half my time on board, the rest 
being spent in the boat. My man is a capital cook. He 
comes from Chittagong, and is a Mug. ’ ’ 

“ What are Mugs, uncle? ” 

^‘They are the original inhabitants of Aracan. He was 
one of those who remained there after the Burmese had con- 
quered it, and speaks their language as well as his own. I 
recommend you to begin it with him at once. If things set- 
tle down in Assam, it will be very useful for you in arranging 
with the Burmese officials. You won’t find it very easy, 
though of course your knowledge of three or four Indian 
tongues will help you. It is said to be a mixture of the old 
Tali, Sanscrit, Tartar, and Chinese. The Tartar and Chinese 
words will of course be quite new to you — the other two ele- 
ments will resemble those that you are familiar with. I talk 
to the man in Hindustani; he picked up a little of it. at Chit- 
tagong, and has learned a good deal more during the two 
years that he has been with me, and through that you will be 
able to learn Burmese.” 

A week later the dhow entered the harbour. Stanley had 
passed most of his time in conversation with Khyen, Tom’s 
servant. The facility his tongue had acquired in the Indian 
languages was of great benefit to him, and he speedily picked 
up a good many Burmese sentences. 


16 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


For the next six months he continued, with his uncle, the 
work the latter had carried on, and enjoyed it much. They 
sailed up the sluggish rivers, with their low, flat shores, in the 
dhow, towing the row-boat and the store-boat behind them. 
The crews of these boats lived on board the dhow until their 
services were required, helping in its navigation and aiding 
the crew when the wind dropped and sweeps were got out. 
The villages along the banks were for the most part small, but 
were very numerous. At each of these the dhow brought up. 
There was in almost all cases sufficient water to allow of her 
being moored alongside the banks, and as soon as she did so 
the natives came on board to make their purchases and dispose 
of their produce. In addition to the European and Indian 
goods carried, the dhow was laden with rice, for which there 
was a considerable demand at most of the villages. As soon 
as he had learned the price of the various goods and their 
equivalent in the products of the country, Stanley did much 
of the bartering, while his uncle went ashore and talked with 
the head men of the village, with all of whom he made a 
point of keeping on good terms, and so securing a great 
portion of the trade that might otherwise have been carried 
by native craft. 

Three times during the six months the dhow had gone back 
to Calcutta to fetch fresh supplies of goods, and to take in an- 
other cargo of rice, while the trader proceeded higher up the 
river in his own boats. While on the voyage Stanley always 
had the rifle and fowling-piece, that his uncle had handed 
over for his special use, leaning against the bulwark, close at 
hand, and frequently shot water-fowl, which were so abundant 
that he was able to keep not only their own table supplied, 
but to furnish the crew and boatmen with a considerable 
quantity of food. They had had no trouble with river pirates, 
for these had suffered so heavily in previous attacks upon the 


A NEW CAREER 


17 


dhow that they shunned any repetition of their loss. At the 
same time every precaution was taken, for owing to the intes- 
tine troubles in Cachar and Assam, fugitives belonging to the 
party that happened for the time to be worsted were driven 
to take refuge in the jungles near the rivers, and to subsist 
largely on plunder, the local authorities being too feeble to 
root them out. The boats, therefore, were always anchored 
in the middle of the stream at night and two men were kept 
on watch. To the south as well as in the north the trading 
operations were more restricted, for the Burmese became 
more and more aggressive. Elephant hunters in the hills that 
formed the boundary of the British territory to the east were 
seized and carried off, twenty-three in one place being capt- 
ured and six in another — all being ill-treated and imprisoned, 
and the remonstrances of the Indian government treated with 
contempt by the Rajah of Aracan. 

It was evident that the object of the Burmese was to pos- 
sess themselves of this hill country in order that they might, 
if they chose, pour down at any time into the cultivated coun- 
try round the town of Ramoo. 

“ There is no doubt, Stanley,” said his uncle one day, 
“we shall very shortly have a big war with the Burmese. 
The fact that these constant acts of aggression are met only by 
remonstrances on our part increases their arrogance, and they 
are convinced that we are in mortal terror of them. They say 
that in Assam their leaders are openly boasting that ere long 
they will drive us completely from India, and one of their 
generals has confidently declared that after taking India they 
intend to conquer England. With such ignorant people there 
is but one argument understood, namely, force ; and sooner 
or later we shall have to give them such a hearty thrashing 
that they will be quiet for some time. Still, I grant that the 
difficulties are great. Their country is a tremendous size, the 


2 


18 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


beggars are brave, and the climate, at any rate near the sea- 
coast, is horribly unhealthy. Altogether it will be a big job, 
blit it will have to be done, or in a very short time we shall 
see them marching against Calcutta. ’ ’ 


CHAPTER II 

THE OUTBREAK OF WAR 

O N the last day of September, 1823, just a year after Stanley 
had joined his uncle, the dhow sailed into Chittagong, 
which had now taken the place of Sylhet, as the traders’ chief 
depot, the latter place being too near the Burmese in Assam 
for him to care about keeping a large stock of his goods there. 
He went ashore as soon as the dhow cast anchor, Stanley re- 
maining on board. 

^‘The fat is all in the fire, Stanley,” Tom Pearson said 
when he returned. ‘‘The Burmese have attacked and killed 
some of our troops, and it is certain that the government can- 
not put up with that.” 

“ Where was it, uncle? ” 

“ Down at the mouth of the Naaf. As you know, that is 
the southern boundary of the province, and there was a row 
there in January. One of our native boats laden with rice 
was coming up the river, on our side of the channel, when an 
armed Burmese boat came across and demanded duty. Of 
course, our fellows said they were in their own waters, where- 
upon the Burmese fired upon them and killed the steersman. 
There were reports then that bodies of Burmese troops were 
moving about on their side of the river, and that it was feared 
they would cross over and burn some of our villages. Accord- 
ingly our guard at the mouth of the river was increased to 


THE OUTBREAK OF WAR 


19 


fifty men, and a few of these were posted on the island of 
Shapuree. This island lies close to our shore, and indeed the 
channel between can be forded at low water. It has always 
formed part of the province of Chittagong, and there has never 
been any question raised by the Burmese as to this. However, 
the Viceroy of Aracan called upon our resident here to with- 
draw the guard, asserting the right of the King of Ava to the 
island. 

‘‘ Since then letters have passed to and fro, but I hear that 
the Burmese have settled the question by landing on Shapuree. 
One night last week they attacked our post there, killed and 
wounded four of the sepoys, and drove the rest off the island. 
The Indian government have put up with a great deal rather 
than engage in so costly and difficult an operation as a war 
with Burma, but it is impossible that we can stand this.” 

The Indian government, however, used every endeavour 
to avert the necessity for war, although the Rajah of Aracan 
lost no time in writing a letter to the government of Calcutta, 
stating that he had occupied the island of Shapuree, and that 
unless they submitted quietly to this act of justice, the cities 
of Dacca and Moorshedabad would be forcibly seized. In 
order, however, to postpone, at any rate, the outbreak of war, 
the government of Bengal resolved to give the court of Ava an 
opportunity to withdraw from the position taken up. They 
therefore acted as if the attack on the guard at Shapuree had 
been the action of the Viceroy of Aracan alone, and addressed 
a declaration to the Burmese government recapitulating the 
facts of the case, pointing out that Shapuree had always been 
acknowledged by Burma as forming part of the province of 
Chittagong, and calling upon the government to disavow the 
action of the local authorities. 

The Burmese considered this, as it was in fact, a proof 
that the government of India was reluctant to enter upon a 


20 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


contest with them, and confirmed Burma in its confident ex- 
pectation of annexing the eastern portions of Bengal, if not of 
expelling the English altogether. In the meantime Shapuree 
had been reoccupied by us. The Burmese, after driving out 
the little garrison, had retired, and two months after the at- 
tack two companies of the 20th Native Infantry arrived by 
sea from Calcutta and landed there. A stockade was built, 
and two six-pounders placed in position. Another company 
was stationed on the mainland, and the Planet and three gun- 
boats, each carrying a twelve-pounder, were stationed in the 
river. The Burmese at once collected large bodies of troops, 
both in Aracan and Assam. The government of Bengal made 
preparations to defend our frontier, and especially the position 
in the north, as an advance of the Burmese in this direction 
would not only threaten the important towns of Dacca and 
Moorshedabad, but would place the invaders in dangerous 
proximity to Calcutta. Accordingly a portion of the loth 
and 23d Native Infantry, and four companies of the Rung- 
poor local force, were marched to Sylhet, and outposts thrown 
forward to the frontier. 

Seeing that the Burmese operations would probably com- 
mence in the north, Tom Pearson had, after completing his 
arrangements at Chittagong, sailed north to remove his 
depots from Sylhet and other places that would be exposed to 
an attack from that direction. They reached Sylhet the first 
week in January. By this time Stanley, from his constant 
conversation with his uncle’s servant, had come to speak 
Burmese as fluently as the Indian languages. He was now 
nearly sixteen, tall for his age and active ; but owing to the 
hot climate and the absence of vigorous exercise, he was less 
broad and muscular than most English lads of his age. 

They found on landing that news had arrived two days 
before that a powerful army of Burmese had entered Cachar 


THE OUTBREAK OF WAR 


21 


from Manipur and had defeated the troops of Jambhir Sing, 
that 4000 Burmes eand Assamese had advanced from Assam 
into Cachar, and had begun to stockade themselves at Bick- 
rampore at the foot of the Bhortoka Pass, and that the third 
division was crossing into the district of Jyntea immediately 
to the north of Sylhet. There was a complete panic in the 
town, and the ryots were flocking in from all the surrounding 
country with their families and belongings, and were making 
their way down the country in boats to Dacca. 

‘‘I am afraid, Stanley, there is an end of trade for the pres- 
ent. What we see here is doubtless taking place all over 
Cachar, and it would be just as bad down at Chittagong. It 
is a heavy blow, for I have done remarkably well this year, 
and was building up the foundations for a good business. No 
doubt when this trouble is over I shall be able to take it up 
again, and it may be if we thrash the Burmese heartily, 
which we are sure to do in the long run, it may even prove a 
benefit ; still there is no doubt that it is a very bad business 
for me. However, as just at present there is nothing what- 
ever to be done, I propose, as soon as the goods are all on 
board, to take a holiday and go out and have a look at the 
fighting.” 

^‘You will take me with you, uncle?” Stanley asked 
eagerly. 

Certainly, lad, we don’t mean to do any fighting our- 
selves, but only to look on ; and it may be that after it is over 
you may be able to make yourself useful if they want to ask 
questions of any Burmese prisoners.” 

“ You think that there is no chance of their beating us? ” 

I should think not, though of course there is no saying; 
still, I don’t think these fellows will be able to stand against 
our troops. Of course, they have no idea whatever of our 
style of fighting, and have never met any really formidable 


22 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


foes, SO that I imagine we shall make pretty short work of 
them. However, as we shall be mounted — for I will hire a 
couple of horses, there have been plenty of them driven into 
the town — we shall be able to make a bolt of it if necessary. 
Of course we will take our rifles and pistols with us.” 

The goods were not placed on board the dhow, but in what 
was called the store-boat, as the trader had determined to take 
up his abode in his row-boat, which could move about much' 
faster than the dhow, and to allow the captain of that craft 
to make a good thing of it by taking down to Dacca as many 
of the fugitives as she would hold. 

Finding that the Burmese division that had entered 
Jyntea was intrenching itself at a few miles’ distance. Major 
Newton, the officer commanding on the Sylhet frontier, con- 
centrated his force at Jatrapur, a village five miles beyond the 
Sylhet boundary. Tom Pearson had introduced himself to 
Major Newton and asked permission to accompany his force, 
saying that his nephew would be able, if necessary, to com- 
municate with the Burmese either before or after the action, 
and that both would willingly act as aides - de - camp. The 
offer was accepted with thanks, and they rode out with him 
on the evening of the i6th of January, 1824, to Jatrapur. 

At one o’clock in the morning the troops were roused, 
and marched an hour later. At daybreak they came in 
sight of the stockade, and a few shots were at once fired upon 
the advanced guard by the Burmese. A portion of their force 
was lying in a village hard by. 

Major Newton at once divided his command into two 
bodies ; one of these was led by Captain Johnston against the 
front of the stockade, the other under Cajitain Rowe attacked 
the village adjoining. The Burmese stationed there gave 
way after a very faint resistance. They were accustomed to 
rely always on stockades, and this attack upon them when 


THE OUTBREAK OF WAR 


23 


not so protected, shook them at once. Those in the stock- 
ade, however, made a resolute resistance. Captain Rowe, after 
gaining possession of the village, and seeing the occupants in 
full flight, moved his force to aid the other division ; and the 
Burmese, dispirited by the defeat of their countrymen, and 
finding themselves attacked on two sides, gave way and fled, 
leaving a hundred dead behind them, while on the British 
side but six sepoys were killed. 

dhe Burmese fled to the hills at a speed that rendered pur- 
suit hopeless by the more heavily - armed troops, and the 
fugitives soon rallied and effected their junction with the 
division advancing from Manipur. After the action Major 
Newton returned to Sylhet, and a few days later Mr. Scott, 
who had been appointed commissioner, arrived there, and, 
advancing to Bhadrapur, opened communications with the 
Burmese. As, however, it became evident that the latter 
were only negotiating in order to gain time to intrench them- 
selves near Jatrapur, to which they had returned, he again 
placed the matter in the hands of the military commanders. 

The Burmese force amounted to about six thousand men. 
They had erected strong stockades on each bank of the river 
Surma, and had thrown a bridge across to connect them. 
Captain Johnston advanced with a wing of the loth Native 
Infantry, a company of the 23d Native Infantry, and a 
small party of men of a local corps. Small as was this force, 
he divided it into two parties; one of these under Captain 
Rowe crossed the river, and then both moved against the 
enemy. The Burmese opened fire as they advanced, but the 
sepoys marched gallantly forward, and drove the enemy out 
of their unfinished intrenchments at the point of the bayonet. 
The Assam division retreated hastily to the Bhortoka Pass, 
while the Manipur force stockaded itself at Doodpatnee. 

The Assam division was first attacked, and the stockade 


24 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


carried at the point of the bayonet. Lieutenant-Colonel 
Bowen, who now commanded, then moved against the posi- 
tion at Doodpatnee. This was very strong ; steep hills 
covered the rear, while the other faces of the intrenchments 
were defended by a deep ditch fourteen feet wide, with a 
chevaux de frise of pointed bamboos on its outer edge. Al- 
though the position was attacked with great gallantry, it was 
too strong to be captured by so small a force, and they were 
obliged to withdraw to Jatrapur with the loss of one officer 
killed and four wounded, and about one hundred and fifty 
sepoys killed and wounded. However, their bravery had 
not been without effect, for the Burmese evacuated their 
stockade and retreated to Manipur, leaving Cachar free from 
its invaders. Thus in less than three weeks the Burmese in- 
vasion of the northern provinces had been hurled back by a 
British force of less than a tenth of that of the invaders. 

Stanley and his uncle had been present at all these en- 
gagements, and in the absence of any cavalry had done 
good service in conveying messages and despatches, and 
the lad had several times acted as interpreter between the 
officers and Burmese prisoners. Both received letters from 
the commissioner thanking them for the assistance that they 
had rendered. 

‘^That last affair was unfortunate, Stanley, and it is evi- 
dent that these stockades of theirs are nasty places to attack, 
and that they ought to be breached by guns before the men 
are sent forAvard to storm them. However, as the Burmese 
have gone, our repulse does not matter much. Well, I felt 
sure that we should thrash them, but I certainly gave them 
credit for having a great deal more pluck than they have 
shown. As it is, if there is nothing fresh takes place here, 
the natives and little traders Avill soon be coming back from 
Dacca, and business will be better than before ; for the Bur- 


THE OUTBREAK OF WAR 


25 


mese have been talking so big for the last three years that 
no one has bought more than would just carry him on, 
while now they will be more inclined to lay in good stocks 
of goods. To-morrow we will start for Chittagong. You 
see I have a considerable store there, and there is a chance 
of much more serious fighting in that quarter than this little 
affair we have seen. The Governor of Aracan has all along 
been the source of troubles, and we may expect that he will 
cross into the province at the head of a large force, and may 
do an immense deal of damage before w^e can get enough 
troops there to oppose him.” 

Descending the river they coasted along until they ar- 
rived, early in March, at Chittagong. They found that 
great alarm reigned there. In January, Bandoola, the 
greatest military leader of the Burmese, who was known 
to have been one of the most strenuous supporters of the 
war policy at the court of Ava, had arrived at Aracan and 
taken tlie command of the troops collected there, and had 
brought with him considerable reinforcements. A wanton 
outrage that had been committed by the Burmese showed 
how intent they were upon hostilities. Owing to the un- 
healthiness of the islet of Shapuree the sepoys stationed 
there had .been withdrawn, and the Company’s pilot vessel 
Sophia was ordered to join the gunboats off that island. 
Four deputies from the Burmese court arrived at Mungdoo 
on the opposite shore, and these invited the commander of 
the Sophia to come on shore in order that they might talk 
over with him in a friendly way the situation of affairs. He 
unsuspectingly accepted their invitation and landed, accom- 
panied by an officer and some native seamen. The party 
were at once seized and sent prisoners to Aracan, where 
they were detained for a month and then sent back to 
Mungdoo. 


26 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


This wanton insult was followed by a formal declaration 
of war by the government of India, and a similar document 
was issued by the court of Ava. 'The force at Sylhet was 
reinforced, and that in Chittagong increased. It consisted 
of a wing of the 13th and of the 20th Native Regiments, 
and a battalion of the 23d, with a local levy, amounting in 
all to some 3000 men. Of these a wing of the 23d, with 
two guns, and a portion of the native levies were posted at 
Ramoo, which was the point most threatened by an inva- 
sion from Aracan. It was in the north that hostilities first 
commenced, a force moving into Assam and driving the 
Burmese before them ; several sharp blows were dealt the 
enemy, and had it not been for the setting in of the wet 
season they would have been driven entirely out of Assam. 

“ I think, Stanley,” his uncle said, after he had been a 
short time at Chittagong, “ you had better go up to Ramoo 
and see about matters there. Of course, until the Burmese 
move we cannot say what their game is likely to be, but it 
will be as well to get the stores ready for embarkation in 
case they should advance in that direction. If they do so 
get everything on board at once, and you can then be guided 
by circumstances. As the dhow came in yesterday, I can 
spare both our boats, and shall, of course, ship .the goods 
here on board the big craft. Even if the Burmese come this 
way I have no fear of their taking the town, and shall, of 
course, lend a hand in the defence if they attempt it ; you 
can do the same at Ramoo if you like. I was chatting with 
Colonel Shatland yesterday ; he tells me that a large fleet has 
been collected, and that an expedition will be sent to capture 
Rangoon, so in that case it is likely that Bandoola and his 
force will march off in that direction. 

‘‘ I think government are wrong. It will be impossible for 
the troops to move when the wet season once sets in, and they 




THE OUTBREAK OF WAR 


27 


will lose a tremendous lot of men from sickness if they are 
cooped up in Rangoon. They had very much better have 
sent a few thousand men down here to act on the defensive 
and repel any attempted invasion until the rains are over, 
when they could have been shipped again and join the ex- 
pedition against Rangoon. It seems to me a mad-headed 
thing to begin at the present time of the year. We have put 
up with the insults of the Burmese for so long that we might 
just as well have waited for the favourable season before we 
began our operations in earnest.” 

Accordingly, on the following day, Stanley started south 
for Ramoo, and on arriving there took charge of the trading 
operations. Shortly after, meeting Captain Noton, who com- 
manded there, in the street, he recognized him as an officer 
who Had been stationed at the same cantonment as his father, 
and whom he had four years previously known well. 

‘‘ You don’t recognize me, Captain Noton,” he said ; I 
am the son of Captain Brooke, of the 33d.” 

“ I certainly did not recognize you,” the officer said, 
‘'but I am glad to meet you again. Let me think ; yes, 
your name is Stanley, and a regular young pickle you used to 
be. What on earth are you doing here ? Of course I heard 
of your poor father’s death, and was grieved indeed at his 
loss. ■ Where is your mother? She is well, I hope.” 

“ She went back to England with my sisters two months 
after my father’s death. I joined my uncle, her brother. 
He is a trader, and carries on business in the district between 
here and Sylhet, trading principally on the rivers, but of 
course the war has put a stop to that for the present. We 
saw the fighting up in the north, and then came down to this 
district. He has remained at Chittagong, and I am in charge 
of goods here. I speak Burmese fairly now, and if I can be 
of any use to you I shall be very glad to be so. There is 


28 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


not much business here, and the Parsee clerk, who is gen- 
erally in charge, can look after it very well. I acted as 
interpreter with the troops in the north, and have a letter 
from Mr. Scott, the commissioner, thanking me for my ser- 
vices. ’ ’ 

I remember you used to be able to talk four or five of the 
native languages, but how did you come to pick up Bur- 
mese ? ’ ’ 

“ From a servant of my uncle’s. We thought that there 
would be sure to be war sooner or later, and that after it was 
over there would be a good chance of profitable trade on the 
Burmese rivers. I had no great difficulty in learning it from 
my uncle’s man, who was a native of Aracan.” 

I have no doubt you will find it very useful. What a 
big fellow you have grown, Stanley ; at least as far as height 
is concerned. Let me see. How old are you now? ” 

“I am past sixteen,” Stanley replied. have had sev- 

eral touches of fever, caught, I suppose, from the damp on the 
rivers, but I think that I am pretty well acclimatized now. I 
know I don’t look very strong, but I have not had much ac- 
tive exercise, and of course the climate is against me.” 

“ Very much so. I wonder that you have kept your health 
as well as you have in this steamy climate. I am going to the 
mess-room now. You had better come and lunch with me, 
and I will introduce you to the other officers. We are very 
strong in comparison to the force, for, counting the assistant 
surgeon, there are ten of us. ’ ’ 

“I shall be very glad, sir,” Stanley said. ‘‘I have cer- 
tainly been feeling rather lonely here, for I know no one, and 
there is very little to do. During the last year I have often 
gone up one of the rivers by myself, but there has always been 
occupation, while at present things are at a standstill.” 

I tell you what, Brooke, if you would like it, I can ap- 


THE OUTBREAK OF WAR 


29 


point you interpreter. There is not one of us who speaks this 
Mug language, which is, you know, almost the same as Bur- 
mese, and the officers in charge of the native levy would be 
delighted to have some one with them Who could make the 
fellows understand. I can appoint you a first-class interpreter. 
The pay is not very high, you know, but you might just as 
well be earning it as doing nothing, and it would give you a 
sort of official position ; and, as the son of a British officer and 
my friend, you would be one of us.” 

‘‘ Thank you very much. Captain Noton. I should like it 
immensely. Should I have to get a uniform ? ” 

There will be no absolute necessity for it; but if you get 
a white patrol-jacket like this, and a white cap-cover, it will 
establish you in the eyes of the natives as an officer, and give 
you more authority. Oh, by the way, you need not get them, 
for one of our lieutenants died the other day of fever. His 
effects have not been sold yet, but you may as well have his 
patrol -jackets and belts. We can settle what you are to pay 
for them afterwards ; it will only be a matter of a few rupees, 
anyhow.” 

They now arrived at the house that had been taken for the 
use of the officers. On entering, Captain Noton introduced 
him to the others, and as several of these had at various times 
met his father in cantonments or on service, he was heart- 
ily welcomed by them, and at luncheon they listened with 
great interest to his accounts of the fighting in Cachar with 
the Burmese. 

‘‘ I fancy we shall find them more formidable here, if they 
come,” Captain Noton said. Bandoola has a great reputa- 
tion, and is immensely popular with them. From what you 
say, a considerable proportion of the fellows you met up there 
were Assamese levies raised by the Burmese. I grant that the 
Burmese themselves do not seem to have done much better, 


30 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


but they would never have conquered all the peoples they 
have come across, and built up a great empire if there had not 
been good fighting stuff in them. I have no doubt that we 
shall thrash them, but I don’t think we shall do it as easily as 
our troops did in the north.” 

The time now passed pleasantly with Stanley; he had, 
after thinking it over, declined to accept payment for his ser- 
vices, for this would have hindered his freedom of action and 
prevented his obeying any instructions that his uncle might 
send him. He therefore joined as a volunteer interpreter, and 
was made a member of the officers’ mess. He was specially 
attached to the native levy, and, soon acquiring their words 
of command, assisted its officers in drilling it into something 
like order. 

Early in May a Burmese division, 8000 strong, crossed the 
Naaf and established itself at Riitnapiillung, fourteen miles 
south of Ramoo. As soon as Captain Noton learned that the 
Burmese had crossed the river he sent news of the fact to Chit- 
tagong, with a request that reinforcements should be at once 
sent to him, and then moved out with his force from Ramoo 
to ascertain the strength of the enemy. The Burmese were 
seen upon some hills, where they were constructing stockades. 
The small British force advanced against them, drove them off 
the hills, and, following them, prepared to attack them in the 
plain beyond. The guns, however, had not come up, partly 
owing to the cowardice of the elephant-drivers, and partly to 
the fact that it was found that several of the essential parts of 
the guns had been left behind. 

Without their assistance to clear the way Captain Noton 
felt that it would be imprudent to attack so great a force, and 
therefore fell back to Ramoo. Here he was joined by three 
companies of the 20th Native Infantry, bringing up his force 
to close upon a thousand, of whom about half were sepoys and 


THE OUTBREAK OF WAR 


31 


the rest native levies. Had any energy whatever been shown 
by the officer in command of Chittagong in sending up rein- 
forcements, — which he could well have spared, now that the 
point of attack by the Burmese had been made clear, — Cap- 
tain Noton might have taken the offensive, in which case se- 
rious disaster would have been avoided, and the Burmese 
would have been driven back across the Naaf. None, how- 
ever, came, and on the morning of the 13th of May the enemy 
appeared on the hill east of Ramoo, being separated from the 
British force by the river of the same name. There was some 
difference of opinion among the officers as to whether it would 
be better to maintain a position outside the town or to retreat 
at once, but the belief that reinforcements might arrive at any 
hour caused Captain Noton to determine to keep in the open 
and so to cover the town as long as possible. 

On the evening of the 14th, the Burmese came down to the 
river as if to cross it, but retired when the two six-pounder 
guns opened fire upon them. That two small guns should 
produce such an effect confirmed the British officers in their 
opinion that the Burmese, although they might defend stock- 
ades well, were of little use in the open. The next morning, 
however, the enemy effected the passage of the river farther 
away, and then advancing, took possession of a large tank 
surrounded by a high embankment. Captain Noton placed 
his force in an enclosure with a bank three feet high. His 
right flank was protected by the river, and a small tank, some 
sixty paces in front, was occupied by a strong picket. On his 
left, somewhat to the rear, was another tank, and at this the 
native levies were placed. The main position was held by 
the sepoys with the two six-pounders. As the Burmese ad- 
vanced, a sharp fire was opened upon them, but they availed 
themselves of every irregularity of the ground and of cover 
of all kinds, and threw up shelter banks with such rapidity, 


32 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


that the fire was by no means so efTective as had been ex- 
pected. 

During the day news came that the left wing of the 23d 
Native Infantry had left Chittagong on the 13th, and as it 
should arrive the next day, Captain Noton determined to hold 
his ground though the Burmese continued to press forward, 
and a good many men, as well as two or three officers, had 
been wounded by their fire. At nightfall, a consultation 
was held. The reinforcements were expected in the morning, 
and although the native levies had shown signs of insubordina- 
tion, and evidently could not be relied upon to make a stand 
if the Burmese attacked in earnest, it was resolved to retain 
the position. During the night, the Burmese pushed forward 
their trenches. A heavy fire was maintained on both sides 
during the day, but it was with considerable difficulty that the 
officers in command of the levies kept the men from bolting. 

Things look very black,” Captain Pringle said to Stan- 
ley, when the firing died away at nightfall. ^^Reinforce- 
ments should have been here to-day ; it is scandalous that 
they should not have been pushed forward at once when we 
asked for them. Still more so that, when they once started, 
they should not have come on with the greatest possible 
speed. I doubt whether we shall be able to hold these cow- 
ardly curs together till to-morrow. If they bolt, the sepoys 
will be sure to do so too ; in fact, their position would be 
altogether untenable, for the Burmese could march round this 
flank and take them in rear. I wish to Heaven we had two 
or three companies of white troops to cover a retreat ; there 
would be no fear of the sepoys yielding to a panic if they had 
British troops with them, but when they are outnumbered, as 
they are now, one can hardly blame them if they lose heart, 
when the enemy are ten times their strength, and will be 
twenty to one against them if our fellows here bolt,” 


THE OUTBREAK OF WAR 


33 


The next morning the Burmese had pushed up their 
trenches to within twelve paces of the British lines, and a 
tremendous fire was opened. At nine o’clock, in spite of 
the efforts of their officers to keep them steady, the native 
levies bolted, and the officers with them dashed across the 
intervening ground towards the main body. One of them 
fell dead, and two others were wounded. Stanley was run- 
ning when he fell headlong, without a moment’s thought or 
consciousness. The Burmese occupied the tank as soon as 
the levies had abandoned it, and their fire at once took the 
defenders of the main position in flank. A retreat was now 
necessary, and the sepoys drew off in good order, but as the 
exulting Burmans pressed hotly upon them, and their cavalry 
cut off and killed every man who fell wounded from their 
ranks, they became seized with a panic. In vain their offi- 
cers exhorted them to keep steady. Reaching a rivulet, the 
men threw down their rifles and accoutrements, as they crossed 
it, and took to headlong flight. 

The little group of officers gathered together and fought to 
the end. Captains Noton, Truman, and Pringle, Lieutenant 
Grigg, Ensign Bennet, and Maismore the doctor, were killed. 
Three officers only made their escape ; of these, two were 
wounded. The fugitives, both natives and sepoys, continued 
their flight, and when two or three days later they straggled 
into Chittagong, it was found that the total loss in killed and 
missing amounted to about two hundred and fifty. Those 
taken prisoners numbered only about twenty. All these 
were more or less severely wounded, for no quarter had 
been given. They had in the pursuit been passed over as 
dead, and when, after this was over, they were found to be 
alive, they were spared, from no feeling of humanity, but 
that they might be sent to Ava as proofs of the victory ob- 
tained over the British. The number actually found alive 


3 


34 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


was greater, but only those were spared that were capable of 
travelling. Among these was Stanley Brooke. He had 
remained insensible until the pursuit had been discontinued. 
A violent kick roused him to consciousness, and sitting up, 
he found that half a dozen Burmese were standing round him. 
His first action on recovering his senses was to discover where 
he was wounded. Seeing no signs of blood on his white 
clothes, he took off his cap and passed his hand over his 
head, and found that the blood was flowing from a wound 
just on the top, where a bullet had cut away the hair and 
scalp, and made a wound nearly three inches long, at the 
bottom of which he could feel the bone. Looking up at the 
Burmese, he said in their own language : 

That was a pretty close shave, wasn’t it? ” 

Two or three of them laughed, and all looked amused. 
Two of them then helped him to his feet, and the group, 
among whom there were some officers, then took him some 
distance to the rear, where he was ordered to sit down with 
three wounded sepoys who had been brought in. 


CHAPTER III 


A PRISONER 



HE little group of prisoners received several additions 


1 until the number mounted up to twenty. The spot 
where they were placed was close to the bank of the river, 
and as all were suffering severely from thirst, Stanley asked 
and obtained permission from the guard to fetch some water. 
He first knelt down and took a long drink, then he bathed 
his head, and soaking his handkerchief with water, made it 


A PRISONER 


35 


into a pad, placed it on the wound, and put his cap on over 
it, then he filled a flask that he carried, and joined his com- 
panions. These were permitted to go down one by one to 
the river to drink and bathe their wounds. Stanley had al- 
ready learned from them all they knew of what had happened, 
after he had been stunned by the bullet. Two of them had 
crossed the rivulet before being wounded, and these said that 
they believed all the white officers had been killed, but that 
they thought most of the troops had got away. 

‘‘It is more than they deserved,” Stanley said indignantly. 
“I don’t say much about the Mugs; they had very little 
drill or discipline, and naturally were afraid of the Burmese, 
who had long been their masters, but if the sepoys had kept 
together under their officers they might all have escaped, for 
the Burmese would never have been able to break their ranks.” 

“Some of the officers had been killed and most of them 
wounded before the retreat began, sahib,” one of the sepoys 
said apologetically, “ and they were ten to one against us.” 

“Yes, I know that ; but you who had fought before should 
have known well enough that as long as you kept together 
you could have beaten them off, and they would have been 
glad enough to have given up the pursuit at last. No doubt 
they all wanted to have a share in the plunder of Ramoo.” 

“ What do you think that they are going to do with us, 
sahib?” 

“ From what they said as they brought me here I think 
that we shall be sent to Ava or Amarapura ; they lie close 
together, and the court is sometimes at one place and some- 
times at the other. What they will do with us when we get 
there I don’t know. They may cut off our heads, they may 
put us in prison ; anyhow, you may be sure that we shall not 
have a pleasant time of it. All we have to hope for is that 
the capture of Rangoon by our fleet may lower their pride 


36 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


and bring them to treat for terms. It sailed nearly six 
weeks ago from Calcutta, and was to have been joined by one 
from Madras, and, allowing for delays, it ought to have been 
at Rangoon a fortnight since, and would certainly capture the 
place without any difficulty. So possibly by the time we 
reach Ava we shall find that peace has been made. Still, the 
Burmese may not consider the loss of Rangoon to be import- 
ant, and may even try to recapture it, which you may be sure 
they won’t do, for I heard at Chittagong that there were some 
twenty thousand troops coming, which would be quite enough, 
if there were but good roads and plenty of transport for them, 
to march through Burma from end to end.” 

In the evening food was brought to the prisoners, and talk- 
ing with some of the Burmese who came up to look at them, 
Stanley learned that Bandoola himself had not accompanied 
the force across the Naaf, and that it was commanded by the 
rajahs who ruled the four provinces of Aracan. Upon the 
following morning the prisoners were marched away under a 
strong guard. Six days later they reached the camp of 
Bandoola. They were drawn up at a distance from the 
great man’s tent. He came down, accompanied by a party 
of officers, to look at them. He beckoned to Stanley. 

‘‘Ask him if he is an officer,” he said to an interpreter 
standing by his side. The man put the question in Hindu- 
stani. Stanley replied in Burmese : 

“I am an officer, your lordship, but a temporary one 
only ; I served in the Mug levy, and was appointed for my 
knowledge of their tongue.” 

“ How is it that you come to speak our language?” Ban- 
doola asked in surprise. 

“ I am a trader, your lordship, but when our trade was put 
an end to by the outbreak of the war I entered the army to 
serve until peace was made. I learned the language from 



STANLEY JS HROUGHT HEEOKE HANDOOLA THE BURMESE GENERAL. 




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A PRISONER 37 

a servant in the service of my uncle, whose assistant I 
was.” 

The Burmese general was capable of acts of great cruelty 
when he considered it necessary, but at other times was 
kindly and good-natured. 

'' He is but a lad,” he said to one of his officers, and he 
seems a bold young fellow. He would be useful as an inter- 
preter to me, for we shall want to question his countrymen 
when we make them all prisoners. However, we must send 
him with the others to Ava, as he is the only officer that we 
have taken, but I will send a message to some of my friends 
at the court asking them to represent that I consider he will 
be useful to me, and praying that he may be kept for a time 
and treated well, and may be forwarded to me again when I 
make my next move against the English.” 

The following day the prisoners started under the escort of 
twenty soldiers, commanded by an officer of some rank, who 
was specially charged to take them safely to Ava. It was a 
fortnight’s march to the Irrawaddy. Until they neared the 
river the country was very thinly populated, but when they 
approached its banks the villages were comparatively thick, 
standing for the most part in clearings in a great forest. On 
the march the Burmese officer frequently talked with Stanley, 
asked many questions about England and India, and was evi- 
dently surprised and somewhat sceptical as to the account 
the lad gave him of the fighting strength of the country. 
He treated him with considerable indulgence, and sent him 
dishes from his own table. When not talking with him Stanley 
marched at the head of the little party of prisoners, all of whom 
were sepoys, no quarter having been given to the native levies. 
Of an evening Stanley endeavoured to keep up the sepoys’ 
spirits by telling them that probably by this time the British 
expedition had arrived at Rangoon and captured it, and that 


38 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


peace would most likely follow, and they might be exchanged 
for any Burmese who fell into the hands of the English. 
When they reached a village on the banks of the river, the 
population on seeing them came round and would have mal- 
treated them, had not the officer interfered and said he had 
Bandoola’s orders to carry them safely to the court, and that 
anyone interfering with them would be severely punished. The 
head man of the v^l%e bent low on hearing the general’s name. 

‘‘I ask your jiwdon, my lord ; the prisoners shall not be 
touched. But have you heard the news? ” 

“ I have heard no news,” the officer said. 

It arrived here yesterday, my lord. The barbarians 
have had the audacity to sail up with a great fleet of ships 
to Rangoon. They had vessels of war with them, and 
though our forts fired upon them, they had so many cannon 
that we could not resist them, and they have captured the 
town. This happened a fortnight since.” 

The officer stood thunderstruck at what appeared to him to 
be an act of audacious insolence. However, after a moment’s 
pause, he said wrathfully : 

‘‘It is of little matter. The town was weak and in no 

■ » 

position for defence, but a force will soon go down to sweep 
these barbariaiiS^Way. Now, get ready your war galley as 
soon as possible.’^ 

Each village on the river was compelled by law to furnish 
a war galley for the king’s service, whenever it might be re- 
quired. These carried from fifty to a hundred men, and 
some three hundred of these boats were always available for 
service, and constituted one of the strongest divisions of the 
fighting force of the Burman empire. 

The village was a large one, and in half an hour the crew 
of the galley were on board, and, rowing forty oars, started 
up the river. 


A PRISONER 


39 


What think you of this news ? ” the officer said, beckon- 
ing to Stanley to take his place in front of him. “ These 
men must be mad to tempt the anger of the Lord of the 
Golden Stool, the mighty Emperor. Had you heard aught 
of this?” 

I heard but a vague rumour that a fleet had been col- 
lected, but I heard nothing for certain as to its destination.” 

‘‘It is madness,” the officer repeated.^^We shall sweep 
them into the sea. How many of them there, do you 
think?” 

“As to that I can say little, my lord. I only heard a re- 
port that some ships and troops were to sail, some from 
Madras and some from Calcutta, but .of the number of the 
men and ships I know nothing for certain^.” ^ 

“ They have taken evil council,” the -Spicer said gravely. 
“ I have heard that they gained some slight advantage in 
Cachar, but there they had but irregular troops to meet, 
largely Assamese, who are but poor cowards. This little 
success must have turned their heads. They will now have 
our regular forces to deal with, and these will number a 
hundred thousand, or twice as many if necessary. Think 
you that the handful that would be tran^rted in ships can 
stand against such a host? ” 

“ There may be more than you think, my lord. Many of 
the ships will be very big, much bigger than those that trade 
with Rangoon, and some of them will carry as many as five 
hundred men.” 

“Even so,” the officer said scornfully; “if there were 
twenty-five such ships, or even fifty, the force would be as 
nothing to us. They will have to take to their vessels as 
soon as our army approaches. ’ ’ 

“ It may be so, sir ; but I think that they will scarce go 
without fighting. I would represent to you that although 


40 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


much fewer in numbers than your army which attacked us at 
Ramoo, the troops made a stout fight of it, and that they 
fought steadily until the Mugs ran away ; after that, from 
what I hear, I admit that they fled shamefully. But the 
troops that come to Rangoon will be better than those were, 
for there will be white regiments among them ; and though 
these may, as you say, be overpowered with numbers and 
destroyed, I do not think that you will see them running 
away.” 

“ And you think that they will really venture to withstand 
us?” 

“ I think that they will endeavour to do so.” 

“ Why, there will scarce be an occasion for fighting,” the 
officer said disdainfully ; they were mad to come, they are 
madder still to come now. The rainy season is just at hand ; 
in another week it will be upon us : the rivers will spread, 
the flat country will be a marsh. Even we, who are accus- 
tomed to it, suffer. In places like Rangoon fever and disease 
will sweep them away, and when the dry season comes and 
our troops assemble to fight them, there will be none left. 
They will die off like flies ; we shall scarce capture enough to 
send as prisoners to the emperor.” 

Stanley felt that in this respect the Burman’s prophecies 
were but too likely to be fulfilled. He knew how deadly 
were the swamp fevers to white men, and that in spite of his 
comfortable home on board the dhow and boat he had him- 
self suffered, although, during the wet season, his uncle made 
a point of sailing along the coast, and of ascending only rivers 
that flow’ed between high banks and through a country free 
from swamps. He remembered that his uncle had spoken 
very strongly of the folly of the expedition being timed to 
arrive on the coast of Burma at the beginning of the wet 
season, and had said that they would suffer terribly from 


A PRISONER 


41 


fever before they could advance up the country, unless it was 
intended to confine the operations to the coast towns until 
the dry season set in. 

It would indeed have been impossible to have chosen a 
worse time for the expedition, but doubtless the government 
of India thought chiefly of the necessity for forcing the Bur- 
mese to stand on the defensive, and of so preventing the 
invasion of India by a vast army. Unquestionably, too, they 
believed that the occupation of Rangoon and the stoppage of 
all trade would show the court of Ava that they had em- 
barked in a struggle with no contemptible foe, and would be 
glad to abate their pretensions and to agree to fair terms of 
peace. 

The Bengal force that had been embarked consisted of two 
British regiments, the 13th and 38th, a battalion of native 
infantry, and two batteries of European artillery, amounting 
in all to 2175 i^en. The Madras force, of which one division 
was sent on at once, the other was to follow shortly, consisted 
of the 41st and 89th Regiments, the Madras European regi- 
ment, seven battalions of native infantry, and four batteries 
of artillery, amounting to 9300 men, making a total of 
11,475 fighting men, of whom nearly five thousand were 
Europeans. In addition to the transports the Bengal force 
was accompanied by a flotilla of twenty gun-brigs and as 
many row-boats, each armed with an eighteen-pounder, the 
Larne and Sophia sloop, belonging to the Royal Navy, several 
of the Company’s cruisers, and the steamboat Diana. Gen- 
eral Sir A. Campbell was appointed to the chief command, 
and Colonel M’Bean, with the rank of Brigadier-General, com- 
manded the Madras force. The Bengal squadron sailed from 
Saugur in the middle of April, and reached the rendezvous. 
Port Cornwallis, in the Andaman Islands, at the end of the 
month. The Madras first division sailed at the same time, 


42 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


and joined them a few days later, and the whole force under 
the escort of H. M. frigate Liffey and the Slaney sloop-of-war, 
left Port Cornwallis on the 5 th of May, and arrived on the 
9th at the mouth of the Irrawaddy. 

Forces were detached for the capture of the islands of 
Chuduba and Negrais. On the loth the fleet entered the 
river and anchored within the bar, and on the following 
morning proceeded with the flood-tide up to Rangoon, the 
Liffey and the Larne leading the way. A few shots were 
fired as they went up the river, but the Burmese were taken 
wholly by surprise, the idea that the English would venture 
to invade them never having entered their minds. There was 
considerable disappointment on board the fleet when Ran- 
goon came into sight. It was situated on the north bank of 
the main branch of the river, thirty miles from the sea. It 
extended about nine hundred yards along the bank, and was 
six or seven hundred yards wide at its broadest part. Beyond 
the town were some suburbs outside the palisade that inclosed 
it. The palisades were ten or twelve feet high, strengthened 
by embankments of earth thrown up against them on the in- 
ner side. One face of the defences ran along the river bank, 
while the others were protected by a shallow creek communi- 
cating with the river. The town itself consisted for the most 
part of miserable and dirty hovels and of a few official build- 
ings of larger size. 

At twelve o’clock the Liffey anchored abreast of the prin- 
cipal battery close to the water gate, the transports being 
ranged in a line in rear of her. A proclamation had been 
sent on shore on the previous day, giving assurances of pro- 
tection to the people at large and to all who should offer no 
resistance. When the guns of the fleet were loaded a pause 
ensued. The town was evidently incapable of offering re- 
sistance, and it was hoped that it would capitulate. The 


A PRISONER 


43 


Burmese were seen standing at their guns, but they also 
remained inactive, apparently paralysed at the appearance of 
this great fleet of vessels of a size hitherto undreamt of by 
them, and the threatening guns pointed towards them. How- 
ever, they were at last goaded by the orders and threats of 
their officers to open fire upon the ships. The frigate at once 
replied with a broadside. In a very few minutes every gun 
on shore was silenced, and the Burmese fled in confusion 
from their works. As soon as they did so the signal for dis- 
embarkation was made. The troops crowded into the boats, 
which rowed for the shore, and the soldiers entered the town 
without resistance, and found it completely deserted. 

The whole of the population had been driven out by the 
governor on the previous day, and, according to Burmese 
custom, the men had all been formed into a levy, while the 
women and children were held under guard as hostages for 
their husbands and fathers, their lives being forfeited in case 
of desertion or cowardice by their male relations. The 
foreigners in the town had all been seized. They were few 
in number, consisting of some eight or ten British traders 
and American missionaries ; these, after being fettered, were 
taken to the Custom House prison. They were brought up 
and tried early on the morning of the attack, and were ac- 
cused of having arranged the assault on the town. They 
naturally urged that if they had had the least knowledge that it 
was going to be made they would have left the place in time. 
But the Burmese at once condemned them to death, and they 
were taken back to the prison to be executed. The sentence 
was not carried out. The Burmese had intended to execute 
them on the walls in sight of their countrymen, and the authori- 
ties had all assembled at the prison for the purpose, when 
fortunately a shot from the first broadside fired, passed through 
the building, causing an instant stampede. 


44 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


The chiefs at once left the city, and the prisoners, heavily 
chained, were marched some distance into the country. A 
party of British troops were, however, pushed forward in ad- 
vance of the town as soon as it was occupied, and the guard, 
in alarm for their own safety, placed the prisoners in a house 
and made off, and a patrol found them there on the following 
morning and brought them into the town. 

The great pagoda, standing two miles and a half from the 
town, was at once occupied as an advanced position by the 
British. It stood upon a conical hill rising seventy-five feet 
above the plain ; the area on the top was somewhat over two 
acres, and in the centre rose the pagoda three hundred and 
thirty-eight feet high. 

Every boat on the river was found to have been removed. 
In spite of proclamations promising good treatment, none of 
the inhabitants returned to the town, being prevented from 
doing so by the Burmese authorities and troops. No stores 
whatever had been found, and till the end of the wet season 
the army had to depend entirely upon the fleet for provisions, 
and remained cooped up in the wretched and unhealthy town, 
suffering severely from fever and malaria. 

The boat in which Stanley and the other prisoners were 
conveyed was changed at every village going up the river, as 
the officer was carrying the despatches from Bandoola to the 
court. A flag was hoisted as the boat came in sight of a vil- 
lage. This was the signal that another was required, and 
within two or three minutes of their arrival the prisoners, their 
guard, and officer were on their way again. 

Thus they proceeded night and day, and in four days ar- 
rived at Ava. Leaving the prisoners in charge of the guard, 
the officer at once proceeded to the palace. In an hour guns 
were fired, drums beat, and the bells of the pagodas rung to 
give notice to the population that a great victory had been 


A PRISONER 


45 


won over the English, and their army annihilated, by Ban- 
doola and his valiant troops. This obliterated the impres- 
sion produced by the news that had arrived a few days pre- 
viously of the landing at Rangoon, and there were great re- 
joicings among the population. An officer from the palace 
presently came down to the boat, and the prisoners were 
marched through the streets to a jail, amid the jeers of the 
mob. Stanley was surprised at the meanness of the town ; 
the great majority of the houses being built of bamboo and 
thatched with grass, and having a very poor appearance. The 
public buildings and the houses of the great officers were con- 
structed of planks, and tiled, but were heavy and tasteless, 
and it was only upon the innumerable pagodas in and around 
the town that any care seemed to have been bestowed. He 
had wondered much at the numerous pagodas that they had 
seen near every town and village as they passed up, but the 
officer had informed him that these were all private property, 
and that it was considered the most meritorious of actions to 
erect one, consequently every man who had means to do so 
built a pagoda, large or small in proportion to the sum that 
he could bestow upon it. On Stanley’s remarking upon the 
great number that were in ruins, the officer replied that it was 
considered so much more meritorious an action to build a 
pagoda than to repair one, that after the death of the founder 
they were generally suffered to fall into decay. 

For some days the prisoners were taken out every day and 
marched about the town for some time so as to afford the pop- 
ulation ocular proof of the victory gained by Bandoola. The 
place in which they were confined was small and filthy, but 
at the end of a week Stanley was taken out and placed in a 
room by himself, and here the officer who had had charge of 
him paid him a visit an hour or two later. 

I have expressed to the court,” he said, the wishes of 


46 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


the general, and have had permission accorded for you to re- 
ceive different treatment from the others, partly because you are 
an officer, but principally because the general thinks that you 
may be made useful to him. I have informed the officer of 
the prison that you are to be at liberty to walk about in the 
city when you please, but that to protect you from violence 
an officer and two soldiers are to accompany you so long as 
you may think such a precaution necessary. I have ordered 
a dress of our fashion to be brought to you, as otherwise you 
could not go into the streets without being mobbed.” 

Stanley expressed his gratitude to the officer for obtaining 
these indulgences, and the latter replied : 

“ I acted upon the orders of the general, but it has been a 
pleasure to me, for I see that you are a young man of merit, 
and I have learned much from you about your people during 
the journey, and have seen that foolish as they have been to 
undertake to match themselves against us, there are yet some 
things that might be learned from them, and that if they had 
remained in their island, many months’ journey away from 
here, they might have been worthy of our friendship.” 

A short time after the officer had left, a soldier brought up 
some food of a very much better nature than that with which 
Stanley had been hitherto supplied. Half an hour later the 
dress arrived. It was that of a Burmese officer of inferior 
grade, and consisted of a tunic of thick cloth coming down 
to the knees, leathern sword belt, a sort of tippet resembling 
that of an English coachman, with three layers of cloth 
thickly quilted, and a leathern helmet going up to a point in 
the centre with a flap to protect the neck and ears ; with it 
were worn tight - fitting stockings of cloth, and low shoes. 
Presently an officer came in. 

I am ordered to go out with you once a day at whatever 
hour you may desire. I am a relative of the officer who 


A PRISONER 


47 


brought you here, and he has requested me to look after your 
safety. ’ ’ 

“I am much obliged to you, sir,” Stanley said, and 
shall be glad indeed to go out to see the city. Your kinsman 
has kindly sent me a dress ; but if I am not to be noticed it 
will be necessary for me to stain my face and hands some- 
what.” 

“That I have thought of,” the officer said, “and have 
brought with me some dye which will darken your skin. It 
would be worse than useless for you to dress as a Burman un- 
less you did so, for it would seem even more singular to the 
people in the streets that a white man should be seen walking 
about dressed as an officer, than that a white prisoner should 
be taken through the streets under a guard. I am ready to 
go out with you now, if you wish it.” 

“ I shall be ready in a few minutes,” Stanley replied, and, 
on being left alone, at once changed his attire and stained his 
face and hands. He had just finished when the officer re- 
turned. He smiled and said : 

“ There is no fear of your being suspected now, and you 
might really go about safely without a guard, unless you were 
to enter into conversation with anyone. You speak the lan- 
guage very well, but your accent is not quite the same as ours 
here, though in Aracan it would pass unremarked.” 

As they went out from the prison the officer told two sol- 
diers who were waiting there to follow at a distance. 

“ Do not approach us,” he said, “ unless I call you up.” 

The houses were not constructed in continuous rows, but 
were very scattered, each house having its inclosure or garden. 
The population was very small in comparison to the area oc- 
cupied by the town. This was divided into two parts — the 
inner and outer town. The whole was surrounded by a brick 
wall, five miles and a half in circumference, some sixteen feet 


48 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


high and ten feet in thickness, strengthened on the inside by 
a great bank of earth. The inner town was inclosed by a 
separate wall, with a deep ditch on two sides, the river Irra- 
waddy on the third, and a tributary river on the fourth. A 
considerable portion of the inclosed area was occupied by the 
royal quarter, containing the palace, the court of justice, the 
council chamber, arsenal, and the houses of the ministers and 
chief officials. This was cut off from the rest by a strong and 
well-built wall, twenty feet high, outside which was a stock- 
ade of the same height. The total population of Ava was 
but 25,000. 

The officer did not take Stanley to the royal quarter, ob- 
serving that it was better not to go there, as, although he had 
leave to walk in the town, it might give offence were he to 
show himself near the palace ; but after going through the 
wall, they visited two or three of the markets, of which there 
were eleven in the town. 

The markets consisted of thatched huts and sheds, and were 
well supplied with the products of the country. Here were 
rice, maize, wheat, and various other grains ; sticks of sugar- 
cane, tobacco, cotton, and indigo ; mangoes, oranges, pine 
apples, custard apples, and plantains were in abundance ; also 
peacocks, jungle fowl, pigeons, partridges, geese, ducks, and 
snipes; but little meat was on sale, as the Burman religion 
forbids the killing of animals for food. Venison was the only 
meat allowed to be sold in the markets, but there were lizards, 
iguanas, and snakes, which were exposed freely for sale, and 
there were large quantities of turtle and tortoise eggs, which 
had been brought up from the delta. 

Stanley saw that there had really been no great occasion for 
him to stain his skin, as the people were for the most part 
lighter in colour than the Hindoos. Many of the men had, 
however, stained their faces to a darker colour, and all were 


A PRISONER 


49 


tattoed more or less. Men, women, and children were all 
smoking, and frequently, when both hands were required for 
any purpose, thrust their cigars into the large holes bored in 
the lobes of their ears. Both men and women were somewhat 
short in stature, but squarely built and muscular, and in the 
majority of cases inclined to be fat. 

The men wore a sort of kilt, consisting of a double piece of 
cloth wrapped round the body and falling to the knee ; over 
this was a loose tunic, with sleeves open in front. The head- 
dress was a scanty white turban. The dress of the women 
was somewhat similar to that of the Hindoos, consisting 
of a single garment like a sheet wrapped round the body, 
fastening under the arms and falling to the ankles. Those 
of the upper classes were more elaborate. The rank among 
the women was distinguished, so Stanley’s guide pointed 
out to him, by the manner in which the hair was plaited 
and twisted, and by the ornaments in it. The men, like 
the women, wore their hair long, but while the men wore 
theirs in a knot at the top of the head, the women gathered it 
in at the back. Their faces were broad at the cheek-bones, 
but narrowed in sharply both at the forehead and chin. The 
narrow and oblique eyes showed the relationship between the 
Burmese and their Chinese neighbours. They seemed to 
Stanley a light - hearted, merry people, going about their 
business with much chatter and laughter, and the sound of 
musical instruments could often be heard inside the houses. 
Several men in bright yellow garments mingled with the 
crowds in the market. These were priests, the officer told 
him, and it would be a mortal act of sacrilege were anyone 
else to wear that colour. 

Stanley remarked upon seeing so few soldiers, and the offi- 
cer told him that there was no regular army in Burma. Every 
man capable of carrying arms was obliged to serve in case of 


60 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


war, but with the exception of the king’s body-guard and a 
very small body of men who were police rather than soldiers, 
there was no force permanently kept up. Every man was ex- 
pected to know something of military duty, and all were able 
to build stockades. From the fact that the flesh of wild fowl 
formed one of the principal articles of food, the peasantry 
throughout the country were all accustomed to the use of the 
gun, and were fair marksmen. 

“ But you yourself are an officer,” Stanley said. 

At present yes, but to-morrow I may return to my land. 
It is the same with the highest minister ; one day he may be 
a trader, but if recommended to the king as one possessing 
ability, straightway he is chosen to be a high official. If he 
does not please the king, or fails in his duties, then the next 
day he may be selling cloth in the bazaar again. Everything 
is at the will of the king. Nobody is born with fortune or 
rank, for everything belongs to the king, and at a man’s death 
all goes back to him. Thus everyone in the land has an 
equal chance. In war the bravest becomes a general, in peace 
the cleverest is chosen as a councillor. ’ ’ 

Walking about, Stanley soon found that there were a great 
variety of dialects talked in the streets, and that the language 
of the Burmese of the coast, of the natives of Pegu and the 
central province, and of those from districts bordering on the 
Shan states or the frontiers of China, differed as widely as those 
of the most remote parts of Great Britain did from each other. 
This being so, he was convinced that there would be no diffi- 
culty whatever in passing as a native, without attracting any 
observation or inquiry, so far as the language went. His 
features, and, still more, the shape of his face, might however 
be noticed by the first comer in the daytime. He thought in- 
deed that a little tinge of colour in the corner of the eyes, so 
as to lengthen their appearance and give an oblique cast to 


A PRISONER 


51 


them, would make a difference. The general shape of the 
head was unalterable, but the Burmese nose and mouth did 
not differ very greatly from the European, except that the nos- 
trils were smaller, and in shape were round rather than oval. 

For three weeks he continued the same life, and then the 
Burmese officer, with whom he had now become very friendly, 
said when he entered one morning ; 

“ You must not go out to-day ; there is news that your 
people have made two forward marches. The first was against 
a stockade, which they took, and killed many of our men ; 
the other time they marched out four or five miles, had a fight 
with our troops, and again killed many. These things have 
angered the king and the people. Of course it is nothing, for 
our troops are only beginning to assemble, but it is consid- 
ered insolent in the extreme, and the king’s face is darkened 
against your countrymen. Four of the prisoners have been 
taken out this morning and publicly executed, and if the news 
of another defeat comes, I fear that it will be very dangerous 
even for you.” 

What had I best do, my friend ? ” 

I would fain save you, for we have come to know each 
other, and I see that there is much good in your ways, 
though they differ greatly from ours. Were I to take you 
out as usual you might be killed in the streets; were you 
to slip away and escape I should assuredly be put to 
death ; but if in any way I can help you I would fain do 
so. My relation who brought you up here, left a fortnight 
since to rejoin Bandoola, so his influence cannot serve you. 
I do not say that you might not escape from this prison, 
since you are not, like the others, confined in a dungeon, but 
I see not what you could do, or where you could go. Were 
you to disappear, orders would be sent down the river to 
every village, and every passing craft would be examined. 


52 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


and you would be sure to be detected, while it would be well- 
nigh impossible to travel the country on foot, for it is but 
thinly inhabited. There are often very long distances be- 
tween the villages, and much of the country is swamp and 
forest without paths, for the village trade goes by the river, 
and they have little communication with each other. I 
know that, from what you say, you think that your troops 
will beat ours even when we assemble in large numbers. 
Were this so, I fear that there would be little chance of your 
life being spared. Were it not for that, I should say that, 
Bandoola having recommended you, you would be in no 
danger here and had better remain until peace is made. 
What think you yourself ? ’ ’ 

“It is very difficult to reply at once,” Stanley said, “ but 
I thank you greatly for your offer to befriend me in any way 
you can. I do not say that I had not thought of escape, for 
I have of course done so. But it seemed to me a thing in 
the distance, and that, at any rate until the rains were over 
and the rivers had sunk, it would be useless to attempt it. 
I see now that it will be safest for me to try without delay. 
If you will come in again this afternoon I will tell you what I 
have thought of.” 

“ I will do so, and I myself will try to think how best the 
matter can be managed. We must remember that the great 
thing is for you to find concealment for the present. After 
the search for you has been made for some time, it will die 
away, and it will then be the easiest plan for you to make 
your way down the river. ’ ’ 


A RUINED TEMPLE 


53 


CHAPTER IV 

A RUINED TEMPLE 

A fter the officer left him, Stanley sat thinking for a 
long time. He himself inclined strongly towards the 
river, but he saw that at present the difficulties would be 
very great. The war boats were passing up and down, and 
bodies of troops were being carried down in large craft. In 
every village the men, he knew, were assembling and drilling. 
Even in Ava he could see the difference in the population, 
the proportion of men to women having markedly decreased 
since his arrival. As to the journey by land, it appeared to 
him impossible. He was, too, altogether without money, 
and whether by water or land, it would be necessary to go 
into the villages to buy provisions; indeed, money would 
have been almost useless, for there was no coined money 
in Burma, payments being made in lead for small amounts, 
or in silver for large ones — "the quantity necessary being 
cut off from small sticks or bars, or paid in filings. It 
seemed to him that the best thing would be to take to the 
forest for a time, and endeavour to subsist upon wild fruits, 
or if these were not to be found there, to go out into the 
fields and orchards at night, and so manage to hold on for a 
few weeks. 

His friend told him that in the forests along the prin- 
cipal lines of route to the capital were many bad characters — 
persons who had committed crime and fled from justice. 
Some were cultivators who, having been unable to pay their 
taxes, had deserted their land and taken to the woods. All 
committed depredations, and traders coming into the town 


54 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


from the Shan states, or from the country where rubies 
and emeralds were found, always travelled in caravans for 
mutual protection. At times levies were called out, and 
many of these marauders were killed. 

Stanley then had hit upon nothing definite when the 
officer returned in the afternoon, and in reply to the latter’s 
question he acknowledged at once that the only thing he 
could see was to take to the forest until the active search for 
him had ceased. 

You would find it difficult to maintain yourself. I have 
thought of a better way than that. I am acquainted with 
a Phongee, who lives in a temple in a lonely spot four miles 
away. He is a good man, though somewhat strange in 
his habits, and I feel sure that, on my recommendation, 
he would take you in. There would be little chance of 
your being discovered there. You could not go dressed 
as you are, but must disguise yourself as a peasant, though it 
might be well to retain your present attire, which may be 
useful to you afterwards. I fear that you will fare badly with 
him in the way of food ; there will be enough to eat, but it 
will be of the simplest. ’ ’ 

“So that there is enough to keep life together it matters 
little what it is.” 

“Then that is settled. Now about making your escape 
from here. Your door is closely barred at night, and there is 
no window save those four little holes high up in the wall, 
which scarce a bird could get through. ’ ’ 

“ I could cut through the thatch above,” Stanley said, “ if 
I had but something that I could stand upon to do so. There 
are some bamboos lying just at the bottom of the steps. With 
these and some cord I might make a sort of ladder, and should 
then be able to get at the thatch.” 

“ I will bring you some cord to-morrow for that and to let 


A RUINED TEMPLE 


55 


yourself down to the ground. Then I will arrange where to 
meet you, and will guide you out of the town and take you to 
the priest. I will bring a disguise for you, and some stain for 
your body and arms, for as a peasant you would be naked to 
the waist. I can think of nothing better.” 

“I thank you most heartily,” Stanley said, “and trust 
that you may get into no trouble for the kindness that you 
have shown me. ’ ’ 

“ There is no fear of that, my friend. No one will know 
that I have been away from the town. 1 am greatly afraid 
that this will be all that I shall be able to do for you, for I 
am told that I am to go down the river with the next batch 
of troops, which will start in three days. 1 have only been 
informed of it since I saw you this morning. Had it not 
been for you I should have been glad, for it is in war time 
only that one can obtain honour and promotion.” 

“1 am sorry that you are going, sir. I shall miss your 
kindness sorely ; but I can understand your desire to go to 
the front. It is tlie same witli us ; when there is a war every 
officer and soldier hopes that his regiment will be sent there. 
However, 1 shall .see you again. Has Bandoola’s army moved 
yet? ” 

“ No ; nor do I think that it will do so. It is a long 
march down to Rangoon from Ramoo, and I believe that he 
will remain where he is until he sees how matters go at Ran- 
goon. As soon as your people are driven out he will be 
joined by a great army, and will march to Dacca. There 
our troops from the north will join him, and then he will go 
to India, we think.” 

“I fancy,” Stanley said with a .smile, “if he waits until 
we are turned out from Rangoon his stay at Ramoo will be a 
long one.” 

The next day the officer brought several yards of strong 


56 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


cloth such as was worn by the peasants, a piece of muslin to 
make the circular band that was worn by the lower class 
instead of a complete turban, and a lot of horse-hair to be 
worn on the top of the head. 

^‘Now,” he said, “strip to the waist, and I will dye your 
body. I have dyes of two colours here, one for the skin and 
the other to draw lines on the face so as to make you look 
older, and with this I can also imitate tattoo marks on your 
chest and shoulders. Here is a long knife such as everyone 
wears, and here is the cord. As soon as it is getting dark 
you must carry up two of the bamboo poles, taking care that 
no one observes you do so ; there is seldom anyone in the 
courtyard. I have had the knife sharpened, and it will cut 
through the thatch easily enough. When you get away walk 
straight to the market that lies nearest to us. I will be at its 
entrance. It will take you, I suppose, two hours to make 
your ladder and get out. You cannot begin until the guard 
closes your door. You tell me he never comes in.” 

“No; he brings the last meal an hour before sunset. I 
generally sit on the top of the steps till he comes up to lock 
the door, which is about nine o’clock, and I do not see him 
again until he unbars the door in the morning. I should 
not think that it will take as long as two hours to make the 
ladder and cut the thatch ; at any rate, by eleven I ought to 
join you. I suppose the gates are open.” 

“Oh, yes! they are never closed, though of course they 
would be if an enemy were near. There is no guard any-' 
where. ’ ’ 

After staining Stanley’s skin the officer waited a quarter of 
an hour for it to dry thoroughly, and then proceeded to draw 
lines on his face, across the forehead, and from the corners of 
his eyes, and then spent nearly an hour in executing rough 
tattoo marks on his body and arms. 


A RUINED TEMPLE 


57 


‘^This dye is very good, and will last for weeks before it 
begins to fade. I will bring with me another bottle to-night 
so that you can at least re-dye your skin. Here is some wax, 
you must turn your hair up from the neck, and plaster it in its 
place with it. The turban will prevent anyone seeing how 
short the hair is. Here is a little bottle of black dye, with 
which you had better colour it before fixing it with the wax,” 

Stanley’s hair had not been cut for some time before he 
had been captured by the Burmese, and in the two months 
that had since elapsed it had grown very long, and could 
therefore be turned up as the officer suggested. Putting on 
his usual garments, he sat at his place, at the door of the cell, 
until the guard brought up his evening meal. Having eaten 
this, he dyed his hair, and half an hour later turned it up, 
plastering it with wax, and tied a bit of fibre round where 
the turban would come. By this time it was getting dusk. 
He sat at the door at the top of the steps, until he saw that 
the court-yard was deserted, the guard at the gate having 
gone outside to enjoy the coolness of the air. Then he ran 
down the steps, took two bamboo poles about ten feet in 
length, and two short pieces of the same wood no thicker than 
his finger, and hurrying up the steps with them, laid them 
down against the side of the room. Then he went to the 
steps again, and sat there until he saw the guard coming 
across to fasten his door, when he went in, and as soon as he 
heard the bars put up, began his preparations. 

First he lashed the short pieces across the ends of the two 
bamboos so as to keep them a foot apart, then he put ratlines 
across, and soon had the ladder completed. He made up his 
clothes into a bundle, wrapped the rough cloth round his 
waist, adjusted the knot of horse-hair on the top of his head, 
and fastened it there with wax. He wound the turban round 
below, and his disguise was complete. Fixing the ladder 


58 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


against the wall he climbed it, and it was not long before he 
cut a hole through the thatch of sufficient size to pass out. 
The work had taken him longer than he had expected, for it 
had to be done in absolute darkness; however, he was sure 
that he was well within his time. Fastening the end of the 
rope to one of the bamboo rafters, he descended the ladder, 
and picked up his bundle, then climbed up again, got half- 
way out of the hole and listened intently. Everything was 
quiet in the street, and in another minute he stood on the 
ground. When he turned into the principal street there 
were still many people about. Sounds of music and singing 
came from the windows, for the Burmese are very fond of 
music, and often pass the whole night in playing and singing. 
There was no risk whatever of detection now, and he stepped 
briskly along until he came to the open space, with its rows 
of little thatched huts. Here he paused for a minute, and 
the officer stepped out from behind a house and joined him. 

“ 1 was not sure at first that it was you,” he said ; “ your 
disguise is excellent. You had better follow me now until we 
get beyond the busy streets. ’ ’ 

Keeping some twenty yards behind his guide, Stanley 
went on until, after nearly half an hour’s walking, they passed 
through a gate in the city walls. He now closed up to the 
officer, and after another half-hour’s walk across a cultivated 
country they entered a forest. The ground now rose steadily, 
and, after keeping on for two miles, they emerged from the 
trees at the top of a hill. The space had been cleared of 
timber, but it was nearly covered with bushes and young 
trees. In the centre were the ruins of a temple that had evi- 
dently existed long before the Burmese dynasty occupied the 
country, and had been erected by some older race. It was 
roofless, the walls had in places fallen, and the ruins were 
covered with vegetation. 'I'he Bur man ascended some 


A RUINED TEMPLE 


59 


broken steps, entered the temple, and crossed to one of the 
opposite corners. A dim light was burning in a small apart- 
ment which had been roofed with thatch. A man was lying 
dressed on a heap of leaves at one side. He started up as the 
officer entered. 

“ Who is it who comes here at this hour? ” he asked. 

Thekyn,” the officer answered. 

‘‘I am glad to see you,” the Phongee said, ‘^whatever 
may bring you here. You have not fallen into trouble, I 
hope ? ’ ’ 

“In no way, good priest. I am starting in two days 
down the river to fight the barbarians ; but before I go I want 
you to do me a favour.” 

The Phongee smiled. “Beyond naming you in my 
prayers, Thekyn, there is but little that a hermit can do for 
any man.” 

“ Not so in this case,” the officer said. . “ I have one here 
with me who needs rest and concealment. I would rather 
that you did not ask who he is. He has done no crime, and 
yet he is in danger ; and for a month maybe he needs a shel- 
ter. Will you give it him for my sake? ” 

“Assuredly I will,” the priest said. “Your father was 
one of my dearest friends in the days when I dwelt in the city ; 
I would gladly do all in my power for his son, and this is but 
a small thing that you ask. Let him enter.” 

Stanley went in. The priest took down the little lamp 
from a shelf on which it stood and held it near the lad’s face. 
Then he turned with a smile to Thekyn : 

“The painting is but clumsily done,” he said, “though 
maybe it would pass without close examination. He is a 
stranger and comes of a race unknown to me, but, as you said, 
it matters not to me who he is ; suffice that he is a friend of 
yours. He is welcome to a share of my shelter and my food. 


60 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


though the shelter is rough and the food somewhat scanty. 
Of late few indeed have sought me, for, as I hear, most of the 
men have gone down to the war.” 

have brought you some food,” the officer said; for 
Stanley had observed that he also carried a bundle, a larger 
one than his own. Here is a supply of rice that will last 
for some time, and this, with your offerings, will suffice to 
keep things going. My friend is not, like you, bound by his 
religion not to take life ; and I know that snakes are very 
plentiful round here.” 

Snakes had formed a frequent article of his diet since he 
had been captured, and Stanley had lost the repugnance to 
them that he at first felt, so the prospect of their forming the 
staple of his food was not disagreeable to him. It would also 
afford him some employment to search for and kill them. 

I shall be well content,” he said, “ with anything that I 
can get, and trust that I shall be no burden upon you.” 

“ You will assuredly be none,” the priest replied. Here 
must be at least thirty pounds of rice, which alone would keep 
two men alive for a month. As regards the snakes, though I 
may not kill them, I may eat them when killed ; and indeed 
there are few things better. In truth I should not be sorry 
to have some of the creatures out of the way, for they swarm 
round here so thickly that I have to pay great heed when I 
walk lest I step upon them.” 

Have you been troubled with robbers of late, father? ” 
Thekyn asked. 

“They trouble me not at all,” the priest said. “Men 
come sometimes, they may be robbers or they may not. I 
ask no questions. They sometimes bring fruit and other 
offerings, and I know that I need not fear them. I have 
nought to lose save my life, and he would be indeed an evil 
man who would dare to lift his finger against a priest — one 


A RUINED TEMPLE 


61 


who harms not anyone, and is ready to share what food he 
has with any man who comes to him hungry.” 

Well, father, I will say good-bye. I must be back to 
the city before men are about, as I would not that my absence 
should be discovered.” 

“Peace be with you, my son; may you come back safe 
from the wars; my prayers will be said for you night and 
morning. Be in no uneasiness as to your friend. If any 
should ask me about my companion I shall reply that he is 
one who has undertaken to rid me of some of the snakes, who 
dispute the possession of this place with me.” 

Thekyn motioned to Stanley to come outside the hut with 
him, and when he did so handed to him a small but heavy bag. 

“This is lead,” he said; “you will need it when you 
start on your journey down the country. There are eight 
pounds of it, and from what you have seen in the market you 
will know how much food can be got for a small amount of 
lead. I would that I could do more for you and assist your 
flight.” 

“ You have done much indeed, very much, and should I 
regain my friends I will endeavour to do as much by one of 
your countrymen for your sake. I hope that when this war 
is over I may meet you again.” 

“I hope so,” the Burman said warmly. “ I cannot but 
think that you will succeed in getting away.” 

“ My son,” the old priest said when Stanley returned to 
his cell, “ I am going to my prayers. I always rise at this 
hour and pray till morning ; therefore you may as well lay 
yourself down on these leaves. There is another cell like this 
in the opposite corner of the temple; in the morning you can 
cut boughs and roof it like this, and make your bed there. 
There is no room for another here, and it will doubtless be 
more pleasant for you to have a place to yourself, where you 


62 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


can go and come as you like ; for in the day women come up 
to consult me and ask for my prayers ; but mind how you 
enter it for the first time — as like as not there will be snakes 
sheltering there. 

Stanley lay awake for a time listening to the monotonous 
voice of the priest as he repeated his prayers, but his senses 
soon wandered, and he slept soundly till daybreak. 

His first step was to cut a stout stick, and he then pro- 
ceeded to the other cell, which was partially blocked up with 
stone from the fallen roof. It took him two hours to carry 
this stuff out, and he killed no less than nine snakes that he 
disturbed in his work. The prospect of sleeping in a place 
so frequented was not a pleasant one, especially as the cell 
had no door to it, and he resolved at once to erect some sort 
of bed-place where he might be beyond their reach. For this 
purpose he cut two poles, each three or four inches longer 
than the cell. One end of each he sharpened and drove 
in between the interstices of the stone at a distance of some 
two feet and a half apart and four feet from the ground, the 
other ends he hammered with a heavy stone against the op- 
posite wall until they would go down no farther. Then he 
split up some more wood, and lashed strips, almost touching 
each other, underneath the two poles by the aid of some strong 
creepers ; then he filled up the bed-])lace between the poles 
with dry leaves. 

One end of the bed was some inches higher than the other. 
This was immaterial, and he felt satisfied that even tlie craft- 
iest snake could not reach him. As to the roof he was by no 
means particular about it. In this part of Burma the rainfall 
is very small, the inundations being the effect of heavy rains 
in the distant hill-country, which, as they come down, raise 
the level of the rivers in some cases as much as eighteen feet, 
and overflow the low lying country. Before beginning to 


A RUINED TEMPLE 


63 


construct the bed he had carried the snakes into the Phongee, 
after first cutting off their heads, which, as he knew, the 
Burmans never touch. 

“ I'his is good, indeed, my son,” the priest said. “ Here 
we have our breakfast and dinner. I will boil some rice and 
fry four of them for breakfast.” 

The bed was but half completed when he heard the priest 
sound a bell. It was doubtless used as a call to prayer. 
However, Stanley rightly conjectured that in this case it was 
a summons to a meal, and was soon seated on the ground by 
the side of the priest. Little was said at breakfast, which 
Stanley enjoyed heartily. 

“ So my friend Thekyn is starting for the wars. What 
think you of it, my son, shall we easily overpower these bar- 
barians ? We have never met them in war before, and 
doubtless their methods of fighting are different from ours.” 

Quite different. Their men are trained as soldiers, they 
act as one man, while the Burmese fight each for himself. 
Then they have cannon with them, which they can drag 
about quickly and use with great effect. Although they are 
few in comparison with the armies going down to attack 
them, the. latter will find it very difficult work to turn them 
out of Rangoon.” 

Do you think that they will beat us, then?” 

''That I cannot say, but I should not be surprised if it 
were to prove so. ’ ’ 

"The Burmese have never been beaten yet,” the priest 
said ; " they have been victorious over all their enemies.” 

"The Burme.se are very brave,” Stanley agreed, "but 
hitherto they have only fought against people less warlike 
than themselves; now they have to deal with a nation that 
has made war a study, and which always keeps up a large 
army of men who are trained to fight, and who spend all 


64 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


their time in military exercises. It is not that they are 
stronger than the Burmese, for the Burmese are very strong 
men, but only that men who are trained to act together must 
necessarily possess a great advantage over those who have had 
no such training, who simply take up arms for the occasion, 
and when the trouble is over return to their homes and lay 
them by until called out to fight again. Besides, their weap- 
ons are better than yours; and they have many cannon, 
which by practice they can load and fire very quickly, and 
each of which, when the armies are near each other, can fire 
fifty or sixty bullets at once.” 

^‘1 have heard a strange story that the barbarians have a 
ship without sails, with a great chimney that pours out quan- 
tities of black smoke, and a wheel on each side, and, as the 
wheels move round, the vessel can go straight up the river 
against the tide, even if the wind is blowing strongly down.” 

‘‘ It is true, father, there are many such ships, but only two 
or three that have made the long voyage across stormy seas 
to India.” 

‘‘It is wonderful how these men can force fire to be their 
servant, and how it can make the wheels of the ship to move 
round.” 

“ That I cannot tell you, father. I have never seen one of 
these vessels, though I have heard of them.” 

The priest said no more, but evidently fell into a profound 
meditation, and Stanley, getting quietly up, returned to his 
work. The priest came in just as he had completed his bed. 

“That is well,” he said, looking at it approvingly. “I 
myself, although I know that until my time has come no 
creature can harm me, cannot resist a shudder when I hear 
one rustling amid the leaves of my bed, for they come in 
although some of my friends have had a door placed to ex- 
clude their entry at night. I wander but little from my cell. 


A RUINED TEMPLE 


65 


and always close the door after me; but they enter sometimes 
when I am meditating and forgetful of earthly matters, and 
the first I know of their presence is the rustling of the leaves 
in the bed at night. Were I as strong in faith as 1 should be, 
I would heed it not. I tell myself so, but my fear is stronger 
than my will, and I am forced to rise, turn up the leaves with 
a stick until I find them, and then I open the door and eject 
them with as much gentleness as may be.” 

“ I should get no sleep at all,” Stanley said. “I don’t 
think that even a door would make me feel any safer, for I 
might forget to shut it sometimes. To-morrow, father, I 
will wage war with them, and see if I cannot decrease their 
numbers considerably.” 

Stanley’s first task was to clear the bushes away from the 
court of the temple, and this, after several days’ hard work, 
he carried out, although he soon saw that by so doing he 
would not diminish the number of the snakes, for the greater 
portion of the area was covered with blocks of fallen stone 
among which the reptiles found an impenetrable shelter. The 
clearance effected, however, was so far useful that while the 
creatures were before altogether hidden from sight by the 
bushes, they could now be killed when they came out to bask 
in the sun on the uncovered stones, and he could every day 
destroy a dozen or more without the slightest difficulty. Ten 
days after he had finished the work he heard the sound of 
men’s voices, and peeping out saw a Burmese officer with a 
party of eight armed men going to the Phongee’s cell. It 
was possible that they might have come on other business, 
but it was more probable they had come in search of him. 
Some of the women who had come up to the hermit had 
seen him at work, and might have mentioned on their return 
that the priest had a man at work clearing away the bushes ; 
the matter might have come to the ears of some officer 
5 


6G 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


anxious to distinguish himself, and the idea that this was the 
prisoner for whom a search was being made occurred to him. 

Stanley shrank back into his cell, took up the bundle of 
clothes that served as his pillow, got on to the bed, and 
standing on it was able to get his fingers on to the top of the 
wall. He hoisted himself up, made his way through the 
boughs of the roof, and dropped on to the ground outside. 
Then he went round by the back of the temple, until he 
stood outside the priest’s cell and could hear the voices within 
without difficulty. 

“ Then you know nothing whatever of this man ? ” 

“ Nothing whatever,” he replied. ‘‘ As I have told you, 
he came to me and asked for shelter ; I gave him such poor 
assistance as I could, as I should give it to anyone who asked 
me. He has been no burden upon me, for he has killed 
enough snakes for my food and his own.” 

“ You know not of what part he is a native? ” 

Not at all; I asked him no questions. It was no busi- 
ness of mine.” 

‘‘ Could you form any idea from his speech? ” 

“ His speech was ours. It seemed to me that it was that 
of a native of the lower provinces.” 

Where is he now ? ” 

I know not.” 

You say that he is away at present.” 

Not seeing him in front, I thought he had gone out, for 
he comes and goes as he pleases. He is not a hired servant, 
but a guest. He cut down the bushes here in order that he 
might more easily kill the snakes; for which, indeed, I am 
thankful to him, not only for the food that they afford, but 
because they were in such abundance and so fearless that they 
often came in here, knowing that they had naught to fear 
from me.” 


A RUINED TEMPLE 


67 


“Then you think that he will return soon?” 

“ As he told me not of his intention of going out at all, I 
cannot say. He is away sometimes for hours in the forest.” 

“Well, in any case, we shall watch here until his return. 
It may be that he is some idle fellow who prefers killing 
snakes to honest work; but it may also be that he is the es- 
caped prisoner of whom we are in search.” 

“ 1 hear little of what passes in the town,” the priest said 
quietly; “ news would disturb my meditations, and 1 never 
question tho-'e who come here to ask for my prayers. I have 
heard of the escape of no prisoner.” 

“ It was a young English officer who got away. There 
has been a great stir about it. Every house in the town has 
been searched, and every guard-beat on the river has been 
warned to allow no boat to jjass without assuring themselves 
that he is not on board.” 

“ This was a brown man like ourselves, clad only in a pet- 
ticoat of rough cloth like other pea.sants.” 

“ He may have dyed his skin,” the officer said ; “at any 
rate, we will stay until he returns and question him. Two of 
my men shall take their places just inside the entrance, and 
seize him as he enters. Has he arms? ” 

“ None, .save his knife and the stick with which he kills 
the snakes. It may be that he has seen you coming hither, 
and if he has committed any crime he would flee, and not re- 
turn here at all.” 

“ If he does not come back before it is the hour when I 
must return to the town, I shall leave four men to watch for 
him, and they will wait here, if it is for a week, until he 
comes back again.” 

“ You can do as you please,” the priest said, “ only I pray 
you withdraw your men from the neighbourhood of this cell. 
I would not that my meditations were disturbed by their talk. 


68 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


I have come hither for peace and quietness, and to be apart 
from the world and its distractions.” 

“You shall not be disturbed,” the officer said respectfully, 
and Stanley heard a movement of feet and then the closing of 
the door. Thinking it probable that the officer might make 
a search round the temple, he at once made off into the wood 
behind the temple. As soon as he was well among ‘the trees 
he exchanged his cloth for the disguise he had worn in the 
town, and, folding it up to be used as a blanket at night, he 
went further into the wood, sat down, and proceeded to think 
what his next step had best be. It was evident that he could 
not return to the temple for the present, and it was clear also 
that the search for him was still maintained, and that it would 
not be safe to attempt to descend the river. He regretted 
that he had been obliged to leave the place without saying 
good-bye to the priest and again thanking him for the shelter 
that he had given him ; but he was sure that when he did not 
return the old man would guess that he had caught sight of 
the officer and his party entering the temple and had at once 
fled. Had he not known that the guard would remain there 
he would have waited until they returned to the town, and 
would then have gone in and seen the priest, but as they 
would remain there for some days he thought it was as well to 
abandon all idea of returning, as the suspicions that he might 
be the man sought for would be heightened by his continued 
absence, and the watch might be continued for a long time 
on the chance of his coming back. 

He concluded that at any rate his best course would be to 
endeavour to make his way for a considerable distance down 
the country, and then to try and get a boat. He knew that 
the country near the river was comparatively thickly popu- 
lated, and that the distances between the villages were not 
great, so that he would find no great difficulty in purchasing 


A RUINED TEMPLE 


69 


provisions. The dress he had brought with him was not al- 
together unfavourable for such a purpose, as he could easily 
pass as a sub-officer, whose duty it was to inquire whether the 
villages had each sent all their able-bodied men to the war ; 
the only drawback to it would be that if instructions for his 
arrest had been sent down to the villages along the road, as 
well as those by the river, they would have probably been 
directed to specially look for one clad in such attire. How- 
ever, it would be open to him at any moment to take to his 
peasant’s disguise again. 

He at last determined to make a start, and by nightfall had 
traversed several miles through the great forest stretching 
along by the side of the Panlaung river. He had asked many 
questions of his friend the officer as they went up to the 
temple as to the roads. He was told that there was one run- 
ning almost due south to Ramuthayn, by which he could 
travel down to Rangoon, by way of Tannoo. This, however, 
would take him a long distance from the main river, and he 
decided that he would presently strike the road that ran about 
half-way between the hills and the Irrawaddy. He would 
follow that for a time, and would try and strike the river 
somewhere between Meloun and Keow-Uan. Below this 
point there was a network of rivers, and but few villages, and 
the country was swampy and unhealthy. He infinitely pre- 
ferred the risks of the descent by the river to those by road, 
and it seemed to him that if he could but obtain possession 
of one of the small native fishing boats he could drop down 
at night unnoticed, as the width of the river at Ava was up- 
wards of a thousand yards, and below that town often con- 
siderably exceeded that breadth. 

When it became too dark to proceed further he sat 
down at the foot of a tree. He regretted that he had no 
means of lighting a fire, and determined that at any risk he 


70 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


would obtain the means of doing so at the first village that he 
came to, for he knew that there were both tigers and leopards 
in the jungles ; he thought, however, that they were not 
likely to be numerous, so near the capital, and the old priest 
had never alluded to them as a source of danger, though in- 
deed it had never occurred to him to ask. In the morning 
he continued his way. He had gone but a mile when he 
heard a sudden scream in the wood a short distance to his 
left. Feeling sure that it was a human being in great fear or 
pain, he drew his knife and ran at the top of his speed in the 
direction of the cry, thinking that it might be some man or 
woman attacked by the robbers of the forest. 

Suddenly he came upon a small open space some twenty 
yards in diameter. He hesitated when his eyes fell on a 
group in the centre. Two men were lying on the ground, 
and a leopard stood with a paw on each of them. They had 
guns lying beside them, and a fire was burning close by. 
He guessed that the animal had sprung from a tree, one of 
whose boughs extended almost as far as the centre of the 
opening. Probably it had killed one of the men in its 
spring, for at the moment when he saw the animal, it was 
licking the blood from the shoulder of the man on whom its 
right paw rested. The other was, as far as Stanley could see, 
unhurt. His tread in the light Burmese shoes had been al- 
most noiseless, and the leopard, which was keeping up a low 
growling, and whose back was towards him, had apparently 
not noticed it. He hesitated for a moment, and then decided 
to endeavour to save the man who was still alive. Creeping 
up stealthily, he gave a sudden spring upon the leopard 
and buried his knife to the hilt in its body, just behind the 
shoulder. With a terrible roar, it rolled over for a moment 
and then struggled to its feet. The time had been sufficient 
for Stanley to i)ick up and cock one of the guns, and as the 


WITH BRIGANDS 


71 


leopard turned to spring at him, he aimed between its eyes 
and fired. Again the beast rolled over, and Stanley caught 
up the other gun, thrust the muzzle within a foot of its head, 
and fired. The leopard gave a convulsive quiver and lay 
dead. 


CHAPTER V 


WITH BRIGANDS 


TANLEY uttered an involuntary hurrah as the leopard 



O expired, and at the sound the Burman, who had been 
lying motionless, leapt to his feet. He looked at the leopard 
and then at his rescuer, and exclaimed in a tone of astonish- 


ment : 


You have slain the beast alone, and with no weapon but 
your knife ! ” 

“ No,” Stanley replied ; I began the fight with my knife 
only, but caught up one of those guns when I wounded him 
and fired as he charged me ; then I finished him with the 
other.” 

‘‘ Comrade,” the Burman said, you have done a great 
deed with courage. I, who am esteemed no coward, would 
never even have thought of attacking that great leopard with 
but a knife, and that to save the life of a stranger.” 

I saw the guns lying on the ground. Had it not been 
for that I should not have dared t-o attack the leopard, for 
it would have been certain death.” 

“ Certain death, indeed. But tell me first how you did it ; 
it seems to me well-nigh a miracle.” 


72 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


“ I was passing along not far distant when I heard your 
cry,” Stanley said. ‘‘Thinking that it was some person 
in distress, I ran hither, and saw you both lying with the 
leopard’s fore-paws upon you. The beast’s back was turned 
to me, and, as it was growling, it had not heard my approach. 
Seeing the guns lying there, and having no doubt that they 
were loaded, I stole up, sprang suddenly on the leopard, and 
drove my knife into it behind the shoulder. The blow 
rolled it over and gave me time to pick up the gun. The 
rest was easy.” 

The man without a word examined the body of the 
leopard. 

“It is as you say,” he said. “It was well struck, and 
would probably have been fatal, but the animal would have 
torn you in pieces before he died, but for the guns. Well, 
comrade, you have saved my life, and I am your servant so 
long as I live. I thought all was over with me ; the leopard, 
as it sprang, threw its full weight on my comrade here. We 
had just risen to our feet, and the blow struck me also to the 
ground ; I raised that cry as I fell. I lay there immovable ; 
I felt the leopard’s paw between my shoulders, and heard its 
angry growlings, and I held my breath, expecting every 
moment to feel its teeth in my neck. I had but one hope, 
namely, that the beast would carry off my comrade — who, I 
was well assured, was dead — to the jungle to devour him, and 
would then come back to fetch me. I managed to breathe 
once very quietly, when I felt a movement of the leopard, 
and hearing a low sound, guessed that he was licking my 
comrade’s blood ; but slightly as I moved, the leopard 
noticed it, and stood straight up again over me. I dared not 
breathe again, but the time had come when I felt that I must 
do so, though I was sure that it would be the signal for my 
death. Then I knew not what had happened. There was a 


WITH BRIGANDS 


73 


sharp pain as the leopard’s claws contracted, and then there 
was a loud roar, and its weight was removed from me. Then 
I heard it snarl as if about to spring, then came the sound of 
a gun, a fall, and a struggle, and then the sound of another 
gun ; then I heard your shout and knew the beast was dead. 
Now, sir, what can I do for you ? Shall I first skin the 
leopard ? ’ ’ 

‘‘ I care not for the skin,” Stanley said ; ‘‘it would be of 
no use to me.” 

“Then, with your permission, I will take it off, and keep 
it as long as I live as a remembrance of the narrowest escape 
that I ever had.” 

‘ ‘ Is your comrade dead ? ’ ’ 

“Yes,” the man replied. “The leopard struck him be- 
tween the shoulders as you see, and the force of the blow 
and the weight of the spring must have killed him instanta- 
neously.” 

“ Then I will take his sword, gun, and cartridges.” 

So Stanley undid the sword-belt, and buckled it round him, 
put the bandolier of cartridges over his shoulders, and took 
up the gun and reloaded it while the man was at work skin- 
ning the leopard. This operation the man performed with 
great speed ; it was evidently one that he had done before. 
As soon as the beast was flayed, he rolled up the skin and 
placed it on his shoulder. 

“ You are an officer, sir? ” he asked. 

“ No ; I am a fugitive.” 

While he had been watching the man, Stanley had debated 
over whether he should confide in him, and thought that after 
the service he had rendered him he could do so with safety. 

“I am an Englishman — I was captured by Bandoola at 
Ramoo, and sent a prisoner to Ava. I have escaped, and 
want to make my way down to Rangoon ; but I heard that 


74 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


orders had been sent along the river to arrest me, and I do 
not at present know how to make my way down.” 

“ Come with me,” the man said. “ I have friends in the 
forest some distance from here ; they will receive you gladly 
when I tell them what you have done for me, and you will be 
safe until you choose to go. We are outlaws, but at present 
we are masters of the forest. The government has its hands 
full, and there is no fear of their disturbing us.” 

Stanley thought over the matter for a minute or two. 
Doubtless it was a robber band that he was asked to join, but 
the offer seemed to promise safety for a time. 

“ I agree,” he said, “so that you do not ask me to take 
part in any deeds of violence. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ About that you shall do as you like, ’ ’ the man said ; 
“ but I can tell you that we make good hauls sometimes. 
Our difficulty is not to capture booty, but to dispose of it. 
Have you a turban, for that helmet of yours is out of place in 
the woods ? The rest of your dress has nothing peculiar about 
it, and would attract no attention.” 

“ I have a turban. I have been lately in the dress of a 
peasant. The cloth I wore lies fifty yards away ; I dropped it 
as I ran ; it will be useful to cover me at night, if for nothing 
else. ’ ’ 

Stanley exchanged the helmet for the turban that he had 
before worn, and fetched the cloth. “Will you bury your 
companion ? ” he said. 

“ It would be useless ; he will sleep above ground as well 
as below, and if we are to reach my comrades to-night it is 
time for us to be moving.” 

They at once set out. After five hours’ walking they came 
upon the river Myitnge, the tributary that falls into the Irra- 
waddy at Ava. It was some four hundred yards across. The 
Burman walked along its banks for a short distance, and then 


WITH BRIGANDS 


75 


pulled from a clump of bushes a small boat that was just capa- 
ble of carrying two. He put it in the water ; they took their 
seats, and paddled across to the other side, where he carefully 
concealed it as before. 

‘‘ That is our ferry-boat,” he said. “It is not often used, 
for our head-quarters are in the great forest we shall presently 
come to, but it is as well, when occasionally parties are sent 
out to hunt us, to have the means of crossing to the other side.” 

Another two hours’ walking through cultivated fields brought 
them to the edge of the forest. 

“ Here you are as safe as if you were in Rangoon,” the Bur- 
man said. “ In another hour we shall reach my comrades. 
As a rule we change our head-quarters frequently. At present 
there is no question of our being disturbed, so we have settled 
ourselves for a time. ’ ’ 

“ Why were you and your comrade on the other side of the 
river ? ’ ’ 

“ His village lies five miles beyond that forest,” the man 
said. “At ordinary times he dared not venture there, but 
he thought that at present most of the able men would be 
away, and so he could pay a visit to his friends. He asked 
me to accompany him, and as I had nothing better to do, I 
agreed to go. A convoy of traders too strong to be attacked 
had passed down from the hill country the morning before we 
started. There was not much probability that anyone would 
come again for a few days.” 

“ They bring down rubies from there, do they not? ” 

“The mines are the property of the em.peror,” the man 
said, “and the gems are sent down once every two months 
under a strong guard, but for all that many of the traders 
bring rubies down from there, — of course secretly. The men 
who work the mines often conceal stones that they come upon, 
and sell them for a small sum to the traders ; besides, some- 


76 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


times the peasants pick them up elsewhere, and these, too, 
make haste to sell them for anything that they can get. We 
do not care for them much, for it is a risky business going down 
to Ava to sell them ; and the traders there, knowing that at 
a word from them we should be arrested and most likely exe- 
cuted, will give us next to nothing for them. We prefer sil- 
ver and lead for money, and garments, arms, and set jewels. 
Each man takes his share of what is captured, and when we 
have enough we go home to our villages. A pound of silver, 
or two or three pounds of lead, are generally quite enough to 
buy the goodwill of the head man of the village. We give 
out that we have been working on the river or in Ava since 
we left, and everyone knows better than to ask questions.” 

In another hour they reached the encampment. It was 
now dusk, and some five-and-twenty men were sitting round a 
great fire. A number of leafy arbours had been constructed 
in a circle beyond them. 

“ What, returned so soon ! ” one of the men said as Stan- 
ley’s guide came near enough for the fire-light to fall on his 
face ; “ but where is Ranji, and whom have you brought here 
— a new recruit ? ’ ’ 

Not exactly, Parnik, but one to whom I have promised 
shelter for awhile. Ranji is dead. I should have been dead, 
too, and eaten had it not been for my comrade here. Here 
is the skin of the beast who slew Ranji, and when I tell you 
that the leopard stood with one paw on me you may guess 
that my escape was a narrow one. ’ ’ 

'‘The brute was a large one,” one of the other men said, 
as Meinik, for such was the name of Stanley’s companion, un- 
rolled and held the skin up. “I see it had a bullet between 
the eyes, and another just behind the ear, and there is a knife 
cut behind the shoulder. It must have been hot work, when 
it came to knives, with a beast of that size.” 


WITH BRIGANDS 


77 


“ Give us some food and cocoa ; we have eaten nothing to- 
day, and have walked far. When we have fed I will tell you 
my story.” 

The Burman’s recital of the adventure with the leopard 
excited great applause and admiration from his comrades. 
“ ’Tis wonderful,” one said, “not so much that our new 
comrade should have killed the leopard, though that was a 
great feat, but that, armed only with a knife, he should at- 
tack a beast like this to save the life of a stranger. Truly I 
never heard of such a thing. Has he all his senses ? ’ ’ 

Meinik nodded. He had received permission from Stanley 
to say who he was. Stanley had consented with some re- 
luctance, but the man assured him that he could trust his 
companions as well as himself, and that it was much better to 
tell the truth, as it would soon be seen that his features dif- 
fered altogether from their own, and that therefore he was 
some strange person in disguise. 

“He is in his senses,” he said, “but he does not see 
things as we do. He is one of those English barbarians who 
have taken Rangoon, and against whom our armies are march- 
ing. He was captured at Ramoo, and sent by Bandoola as 
a prisoner to Ava. He has made his escape, and will, in a 
short time, go down the river, but at present the search is too 
hot for him, so you see that he is, like ourselves, a fugitive.” 

“ What is his age ? ” one of the men asked after a silence, 
during which they all gazed at the new comer. 

“ He is but a lad, being as he tells me between sixteen and 
seventeen ; but you see his skin is stained, and his face 
marked so as to give him the appearance of age.” 

“ If the men of his race are as brave as he is, Meinik, our 
troops will truly have harder work than they think to drive 
them into the sea. Does he speak our tongue ? ’ ’ 

“ Yes,” Stanley answered for himself. “ I have been more 


78 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


than two years in the province of Chittagong, and learned it 
from one who was in our service.” 

And would many of your people risk their lives in the 
way you did for a stranger ? ’ ’ 

“ Certainly. Many men constantly run risks as great to 
save others.” 

‘‘One life is all a man has,” the Burman said. “Why 
should he give it for a stranger ? ” 

“ I don’t think that we stop to think of that,” Stanley 
said ; “it seems to us natural that if we see another in dan- 
ger of his life, we should try to save it, whether it is a man or 
woman, whether it be from fire or from any other fate.” 

“ You must be a strange people,” the Burman said gravely, 
“and I should scarce have credited it had I not heard that 
you had done it yourself ; but it is wonderful, and you, too, 
a lad who has not yet come to his full strength. We should 
be glad to have such a man for our comrade, my friends. 
Whether he be Burman or English matters little. He has 
risked his life for one of us, and he is our brother as long as 
he likes to stay with us.” 

There was a warm exclamation of assent round the circle, 
and Stanley felt that he had no cause for uneasiness as long as 
he remained with them. In the evening the men sung many 
songs, and at their request Stanley sang some English ones, 
choosing some with lively airs. The Burmese were much 
pleased and surprised at these, and joined merrily in the 
chorus. Half a dozen of them then set to work with their 
knives, cut down some saplings and boughs, and constructed 
for Stanley an arbour similar to the others, and he lay down 
well satisfied with the results of his adventure, and feeling 
that he could remain with these merry fellows, criminals 
though they might be, until it would be safe to make his way 
down the river. 


WITH BRIGANDS 


79 


In the morning the men started early, leaving him in 
charge of the fire. They went off in parties of four or five to 
watch the various roads leading to the capital, two or three of 
them, dressed as peasants, going to towns where travellers 
would halt, so as to gain information as to any party coming 
down. When they gathered again at dusk _one party only 
had had any success. They had met six merchants coming 
down with horses laden with spices, indigo, and cotton. 
These had offered no resistance, and they had taken as much 
as they could carry and then allowed them to go on with the 
rest of their goods. There was a general feeling of regret 
that the party had not been more numerous, and some ex- 
pressions of anger at the spies on the road by which the 
traders had come, for not letting them know beforehand so 
that they could have placed their whole force there and car- 
ried away all the goods. 

These are the things that suit us best,” Meinik said to 
Stanley. “ You see, one can go down with a parcel of cin- 
namon or pepper, or a bag of dyes, or fifty pounds of cotton 
into the town and sell it in the market at a fair and proper 
price. Of course, one dresses one’s self as a small cultivator, 
and there is no suspicion whatever that all is not right. We 
shall keep a sharp look-out for the men as they come back 
again and relieve them of the silver or goods they may have 
taken in exchange, that is, if they come by the same road ; 
but it is more likely that after their adventure to-day they 
will choose some other, or take a guide and travel by village 
tracks. No doubt they think that they have got off easily, for 
they have not lost more than a quarter of their goods. It is 
war-time now, and there is no fear of a force being sent 
against us, but usually we do not take so much as a quarter of 
the merchandise. Were they to lose everything they would 
make complaints, and then we should have a force sent up 


80 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


against us, and be obliged to move away for a time. But as 
it is, they are so pleased with getting the greater part of their 
goods safe to market that they do not care to make a fuss 
about it, for they might have to pay the court officials and 
others more than the value of the goods lost. ’ ’ 

‘‘ They do not often resist, then ? ” 

Not often. If a man loses his goods he can gather more 
again ; but when his life has gone, everything has gone ; be- 
sides, as a rule, we take care that we are so strong that they 
see at once that resistance would be hopeless. Sometimes 
they bring armed guards with them ; these are men who make 
it their business to convoy traders down when the times are 
troubled. Sometimes we have fights with these, but, as a 
rule, we seldom attack them unless we are so strong that they 
do not dare to oppose us ; still we do have fights sometimes, 
for these Shan guards are brave fellows. Their convoys are 
generally rich ones, for it would not pay small traders to hire 
men to protect them. In times of peace we seldom stop long 
in one neighbourhood, for, when it once becomes known what 
road we are lying near, they come along in parties too strong 
to be attacked, and, as it matters little to us where we live, 
we move away perhaps a hundred miles and then settle on 
another line of traffic. We have not been here long ; we 
were last down byTannoo and did well for a long time there, 
until at last the governor raised all the villagers and hunted 
the woods, and we found that we had to leave. I expect we 
shall stay here some time now. There is no fear of troops 
being sent out, and we can afford not to press too hardly on 
travellers, for we have done so well of late that we could 
separate and return to our homes, each with a good store of 
booty. Half our number did leave when we came up from 
the south, and more of us would go if it were not for this 
order that everyone shall join the army. It is much pleasanter 


WITH BRIGANDS 


81 


to live here free to do as we like than to be driven down like 
a herd of beasts to fight. Besides, we have no quarrel with 
your people ; it was the officials at Aracan who began it, let 
them fight if they like.” 

Stanley remained a fortnight with the band. At the end 
of that time they heard that a party of thirty traders were 
coming down together, and that they had with them ten 
armed guards. This, they no doubt supposed was ample pro- 
tection, for, as the band generally worked in such small 
parties, it was believed that there were but a few outlaws in 
the forest. All the band went out, and returned in the even* 
ing laden with spoil ; two or three of them were wounded, 
but not severely. 

So you had resistance to-day, Meinik.” 

“ It lasted only for a minute,” the man said. “ As soon 
as they saw how strong we were, the guard were glad enough 
to put up their swords and let us bind them hand and foot 
while we searched the merchants. As you see, we have made 
a good capture, though we have not seized more than a fifth 
of what they brought down with them, but it will take them 
some time to pack their bales again, for we searched every- 
thing thoroughly, and made all the merchants strip, and 
searched their clothes and their hair. ’ ’ 

What did you do that for ? ” 

Well, it was this way. I said to my comrades as we went 
along this morning, ^ The Englishman is going to leave us in 
a day or two. I have not forgotten what I owe him, and 
should like to make him a present. I propose that we search 
all the party thoroughly to-day. From what we heard some 
of them come from the ruby country, and are pretty sure to 
have gems concealed about them or in their baggage. I 
propose that all the stones we find we will give to our 
friend.’ They all agreed at once, for, as you know, they all 
6 


82 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


like you, and rubies, as I told you, are of little use to us, for 
we cannot dispose of them without great risk. So they did 
as I proposed, and had good fortune. Twelve out of the 
number had gems hidden about them, and some of them a 
good lot. You need not hesitate to take them, for you may 
be sure that they bought them for next to nothing from poor 
fellows who had risked their lives to hide them. There they 
are ; we have not looked at them, but just emptied the parcels 
into this bag as we found them. Of course they are all rough 
stones. You must take them as a present from all of us, 
and as a proof that a Burman, even if he is but a robber, is 
grateful for such a service as that you rendered him.” 

Stanley felt that he could not refuse a gift so offered, even 
though the goods were stolen. As Meinik said, the gems 
were of little use to the robbers, since they were afraid to try 
and dispose of them, and their owners had themselves 
broken the law in having purchased them, and had doubtless 
given sums bearing no proportion to their real value. There- 
fore he thanked Meinik very heartily, and also, after they had 
had their meal, the rest of the band, who made very light of 
the matter. 

The things were useless to them, they said. If it had been 
silver or even lead it would have been different, but to endeav- 
our to sell rubies they had to risk their lives. The goods that 
they had got that day would fetch them far more money than 
the rubies, and could be sold without difficulty, and as soon 
as the war was over and they could go down to their villages, 
the band would break up. They had enough silver and lead 
hidden away to keep them for years even if they never did 
any work whatever. 

What do you do with it when you get back ? ” 

We hide it. It would never do to enter a village with 
ten or twelve pounds’ weight of silver, and three or four 


WITH BRIGANDS 


83 


times as much lead, for the head-man might take it into 
his head to have us searched, so we generally dig a hole at the 
foot of a tree in some quiet spot, and take, perhaps, a pound 
of silver and two or three of lead with us ; a gift of half that 
silver is enough to convince the head-man that we are honest 
fellows who have been working hard since we went away, 
and from time to time we can go to our store and get what 
we want from it, and can build a house and marry, and take 
up a field or two, and perhaps become head-men ourselves 
before very long.” 

“Well, I am sure I wish you all well,” Stanley said. 
“You have all been very kind to me since I joined you, and 
I shall be glad to think of you all as settled quietly down in 
your villages, rather than as remaining here, when some day 
or other you might all be captured and harm come to you.” 

The next morning Stanley started with Meinik, who was a 
native of a small village on the river some forty miles below 
Ava, and who had resolved to accompany him down to Ran- 
goon. 

“ I shall be able to get a boat and some nets for a pound 
or two of lead. If we are hailed I can do the talking, and 
can land and buy provisions, if wanted. I have arranged 
with my comrades to take my share of the silver and lead we 
have stored up at once, for it is likely that they will also have 
gone to their homes before I shall have returned, and we have 
changed everything into money except what we took yester- 
day.” 

Before starting, Stanley was again dyed, and the tattoo 
marks imitated far more carefully than before, three or four of 
the men operating upon him at once. His face was almost 
entirely covered with these marks ; some liquid was applied 
that extracted the colour from his eyebrows and left them 
snow-white, some of his hair was similarly treated; and, look- 


84 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


ing at himself in a pool of water, Stanley did not in the 
slightest degree recognize himself, and felt certain that no one 
would suspect him of being the young English captive. Re- 
suming his peasant’s cloth he took a hearty farewell of the 
band and started with Meinik. The latter carried a bundle 
slung on his gun ; it contained some clothes, and did not look 
heavy, but in the centre were two parcels that weighed some 
forty pounds. Stanley carried a bundle with his other 
clothes, and several pounds of rice. Two days’ walking took 
them to Meinik’ s village. Once out of the forest they 
travelled at night, and reached the village just as the people 
were astir. The place consisted of ten or twelve huts, and 
Meinik created quite an excitement among the few people 
who inhabited it. These consisted of two or three old men, 
some women and children. 

“ Where have you been for the last year and half, Meinik, 
if I may ask ? ” 

Working near Ava,” he said ; but as I should have to 
go to war if I had remained there, I thought that I would 
come back and see how you all were. I have saved a little 
money and may settle down, but whether here or elsewhere 
I have not yet made up my mind.” 

You will have to go to the war,” one of the old men 
said. ‘‘ There is scarce a day that one of the war canoes 
does not stop here to see if there are any able bodied 
men. They have taken eight, and they will assuredly take 
you.” 

Then I shall get a boat,” he said, “ and take to fishing. 
The war cannot last long, and I shall do my best to keep out 
of the way of the war-canoes until it is over. If any of you 
have a boat to sell I will buy it.” 

“ I will sell you mine,” the old man said. Both of my 
sons have been taken to the war, and I am too old to work it 


WITH BRIGANDS 


85 


myself. It is a good one ; my sons made it only last year. 
Whom have you with you ? ’ ’ 

Stanley had remained a short distance off while Meinik was 
talking to his friends. 

“He is an old man I joined along the road,” he said. 
‘ ‘ He is a skilful fisherman, and he has agreed to go with me 
if I can get a boat. Is there an empty hut ? ” 

“ Yes, six of them. Of course when the men were taken 
they carried off the wives and children, as usual, as hostages 
for their conduct.” 

Meinik nodded ; he felt no surprise, as it was the custom in 
Burma to hold the women and children of all the men going 
to the war as guarantees that their husbands would not desert 
or show cowardice in battle. In either event their relatives 
would be at once put to death. 

“My companion is tired,” he said. “We walked all 
night, so we will cook some food and he will sleep.” 

They at once took possession of one of the empty huts, 
which was just as it was left by its proprietor. One of the 
women brought a brand or two from her hearth. An earthen 
cooking-pot was filled with water and placed above it, and a 
few handfuls of rice dropped in. Two or three snakes cut up 
into small pieces, and some pepper-pods were added ; and 
then Meinik went out, talked to his acquaintances, and ar- 
ranged for the purchase of the boat. Stanley watched the 
fire. 

In an hour Meinik returned. “ The boat is a good one,” 
he said, “ and the nets in fair order. I have bought them 
for two pounds of lead, and have promised that when the war 
is over and the man’s sons return, it is to be free to them to 
buy it back at the same price.” 

After eating their meal they both lay down and slept until 
late in the afternoon, tlien Meinik bought an earthenware pot 


86 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


and a flat slab of the same material for making a fire on> some 
peppers and capsicums, and a little cinnamon and nutmeg, a 
basket of mangoes, and some tobacco. As soon as it became 
dusk they took their places in the boat, Meinik carrying down 
two or three faggots of wood. The boat was a canoe hewn 
out of a pine log ; it would have carried four people comfort- 
ably, and there was plenty of room for them both to lie down 
at full length. It was very light, the wood having been cut 
away until it was little thicker than cardboard. This was the 
almost universal method of construction ; even the war-ca- 
noes that would carry sixty paddlers sitting two by two on a 
bench, and thirty soldiers, being hewn from great single logs 
of teak. The nets were stowed one at each end. In the 
middle was the fire-place, on which the brands of the fire had 
already been laid. Near it were the faggots and stores. 

Meinik and Stanley sat on the nets, each with a paddle ; 
the former had hidden the greater portion of his store of 
money in the ground before entering the village. As soon 
as they had fairly started Stanley said : 

“ Had we not better get rid of the fire, Meinik ; its light 
would draw attention to us.” 

That matters little,” the Burman replied. There are 
not likely to be war-canoes about at night, and I expect that 
most of them will have gone down the river. People fish 
either by night or by day, and even if a war-canoe came 
along they would not trouble about it, for of course many 
men too old to go to the war remain here and go on fishing. 
People cannot starve because there is fighting. The old men 
and women must cultivate the fields and fish, or both they 
and the people of the towns would starve. Many even of 
the young men do not go. They keep away from their 
villages during the day and work in the fields, and the head- 
men shut their eyes, for they know that if the fields are not 



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WITH BRIGANDS 


87 


cultivated the people cannot pay their share of the taxes. 
Still it is as well to be on the safe side. When the fire has 
burnt low we will lay a cloth over the top of the boat so that 
the glow of the embers will not be seen.” 

They kept their course near the middle of the river, partly 
because the current there was stronger, partly because any 
war-canoes that might be coming up would keep close to one 
bank or the other. They kept on their way until there was a 
faint gleam of light in the sky, and then paddled into the 
shore, chose a spot where some bushes drooped down into the 
water, and, forcing the canoe in behind these so as to be 
entirely concealed from the sight of any passing boat, cooked 
some food, and, having eaten their breakfast, lay down and 
slept until evening. 

Night after night the journey was continued ; their supply 
of food was ample to last them, and there was therefore no 
occasion to stop at any village to purchase more. The river 
at the point where they started was about two miles wide, 
but at some points it was double that width, while at others 
it contracted to little over a mile. Its level was much lower 
now than it had been when Stanley ascended it two months 
before. Sometimes at night they towed one of their nets 
behind them and obtained an ample supply of fish for their 
wants. Each night they made, as Stanley calculated, about 
forty miles, and after ten days’ travel they came to the point 
where the great river divided, one small arm running down 
to Rangoon, another descending to Bassein and then falling 
into the sea at Cape Negrais, while a large proportion of the 
water found its way down by innumerable branches between 
the Rangoon and Bassein rivers. 

For the last two or three days they had been obliged to 
observe great caution, for below Prome there were numbers 
of boats all going down the river laden with men and stores. 


88 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


These, however, only travelled by day, and the canoe was 
always at that time either floating in the shelter of bushes or 
hauled up on the bank at spots where it could be concealed 
from view by thick growths of rushes. 

We shall never be able to get down to Rangoon by 
water,” said Meinik; “the river will be crowded with row- 
boats near the town, and there will be no chance whatever 
of making our way through them. At the next village we 
come to I will go in and learn the news. Your countrymen 
may have been driven out by this time, and in that case 
there will be nothing to do but to travel north on foot until 
we reach Chittagong.” 

“ I have no fear that we shall be driven out, Meinik.” 

This conversation had occurred on the night when they 
had passed the point of division of the two arms of the river. 
They had caught a larger supply of fish than usual ; and as 
soon as the boat was laid up, Meinik started along the bank 
with a number of them for the nearest village. He returned 
in two hours. 

“ It is well I landed,” he said, “for the point where the 
greater portion of our people are gathered is Henzawaddy, 
only some fifteen miles further on. You were right ; your 
people have not been driven out. A large number of our 
troops are down near Rangoon, but in the fighting that has 
taken place we have gained no advantage. Your people 
marched out at the end of May, carried a stockade, and 
advanced to Joazoang and attacked some villages defended 
by stockades and carried them, after having killed a hundred 
of our men. Then a great stockade on a hill near the river, 
three miles from Rangoon — which our people thought could 
not be taken, so strongly was it protected — was attacked. 
The guns of your people made a great gap in a stockade a 
mile in front of it, two hundred men were killed, and also 


AMONG FRIENDS 


89 


the commander. Then your people marched on to the great 
stockade at Kemmendine. Your troops, when they got 
there, saw how strong it was and were afraid to attack it. 
They lay down all night close to it, and we thought we should 
destroy them all when they attacked in the morning; but 
their ships that had come up with them opened fire at day- 
break. As the stockades were hidden from the sight of those 
on the river, we had thought that the ships could do nothing, 
but they shot great balls up into the air, and they came down 
inside the stockade, where they burst with an explosion like 
the noise of a big gun, and killed so many that the troops 
could not remain under so terrible a fire, and went away, 
leaving it to your people to enter the stockade without fight- 
ing.” 


CHAPTER VI 

AMONG FRIENDS 

^^TT certainly seems to me,” Stanley said, when he heard the 
1 Burman’s account of the state of things below, “that 
it will not be possible for us to go any further by water.” 

“ It would be very dangerous,” Meinik said. “It is cer- 
tain that all the men in this part of the country have been 
obliged to go with the army; and even were we both na- 
tives, and had no special reason for avoiding being questioned, 
we should be liable to be seized and executed at once for 
having disregarded the orders to join the army. Assuredly 
we cannot pass down farther in our boat, but must take to 
the land. I should say that we had best get spears and shields 
and join some newly-arrived party.” 


90 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


^‘But you forget that though my disguise as a native is 
good enough to mislead anyone passing us on the road, or in 
the dusk after sunset, I should certainly attract attention if 
travelling with them by day.” 

I forgot that. I have grown so accustomed to seeing you 
that I forget that to other people your face would seem strange, 
as it at first did to me in the forest. Indeed you look to me 
now like one of ourselves ; but were we to join a band, some- 
one would be sure to ask questions concerning you ere long. 
What, then, do you think we had best do? ” 

“ From what I heard of the country from one of your com- 
rades, who is a native of this province, it would be impossi- 
ble for us after crossing the river to make our way down on 
the opposite side, since the whole country is swampy and cut 
up by branches of the Irrawaddy. On this side there are 
few obstacles of that kind ; but on the other hand we shall 
find the country full of troops going down towards Rangoon. 
Your comrade told me that the hills that we saw to the east 
from the forest at Ava extended right down into Tenasserim, 
and were very high, and could not be traversed, for that no 
food could be obtained, and that tigers and wild animals and 
other beasts abounded ; but he said that the smaller hills that 
we crossed on the way to your village, which he called the 
Pegu Yoma hills, some of whose swells come down to the 
bank, extend all the way down to the sea, between the Irra- 
waddy and the Sittang rivers, and that from them streams 
flowed to one river or the other. Therefore, if we could gain 
that range we should avoid the swamp country altogether. 

‘‘A few miles back we passed a river coming in from the 
east, and if we follow that up as far as there is water we shall 
be among the hills. He said that there were no mountains at 
all there, but just rounded hills, with many villages and much 
cultivated ground, so there ought to be no difficulty in mak- 


AMONG FRIENDS 


91 


ing our way along. We shall be able to gather food in 
the fields, or can go into villages and purchase some, for the 
men will all be away ; besides, we can get spears and shields, 
and can say that having been away from home on a journey, 
when the men were all ordered to war, we returned too late to 
go with the rest of the villagers, and are making our way down 
to join them. Many others must be doing the same, and the 
story will be likely enough. In that way we can get down 
till we are close to the troops round Rangoon, and must then 
take our chance of getting through them.” 

“That seems better than the other way,” Meinik said. 
“There is such a river as you speak of above Sarawa; we 
can paddle back to-night and hide near the town, then I can 
go there in the morning and buy a couple of spears and 
shields, and get some more rice and other things. We have 
plenty of ammunition for our guns, which we may want if we 
meet any wild beasts.” 

“ You don’t think that there will be any danger in your 
going in there, Meinik ? Of course, there is no absolute oc- 
casion for us to have spears and shields, as we have guns.” 

“We ought to have shields,” Meinik replied, “and it 
were better to have spears too, and also for us to carry axes — 
everyone carries an axe in war-time, for we always erect stock- 
ades, and though a very poor man may only have his knife, 
everyone who can afford it takes an axe. Most people have 
such a thing, for it is wanted for cutting fire-wood, for clear- 
ing the ground, for building houses, and for many other 
things, and a Burman must be poor indeed who does not own 
one. ’ ’ 

“By all means then get them for us, Meinik; besides we 
may find them useful for ourselves.” 

They now lay down and slept until evening, and then 
started up the river again, keeping close in under shadow 


92 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


of the bank, and two hours before daylight concealed the 
canoe as usual, at a spot two miles above Sarawa. Meinik 
started at daybreak and returned three hours later with two 
axes, spears, and shields. That night they turned into the 
river running to the east, and for four nights paddled up it. 
The country was now assuming a different character, and the 
stream was running in a valley with rising ground, from a 
hundred to a hundred and fifty feet high, on each side, and 
was narrowing very fast. Towards morning on the fifth day 
the river had become a small stream of but two or three feet 
deep, and they decided to leave the boat, as it was evident 
that they would be able to go but a short distance further. 

We may as well hide her carefully,” Stanley said ; it 
is certainly not likely that we shall want her again, but there 
is never any saying, and at any rate there is no great trouble 
in doing it.” 

They cooked a meal and then started at once, so as to do 
a few hours’ walking before the sun became high. They de- 
termined to keep on eastward until they reached the highest 
point of the dividing ridge between the two main rivers and 
then to follow it southward. The country was now well cul- 
tivated, and they had some trouble in avoiding the small vil- 
lages dotted thickly about, as the course they were following 
was not the one they would take if making straight to join the 
army. They slept for three or four hours in the heat of the 
day, and then, pushing on, found themselves before sunset on 
what seemed to them the highest point of the divide. To the 
right they could see the flat country stretching towards the 
Irrawaddy, to the left the ground was more sharply undulat- 
ing. Two miles away was a stream of fair size, which they 
judged to be the river that runs down to Pegu and afterwards 
joins the Rangoon river below the town. Stanley thought 
that the hill on which they stood was some five hundred feet 


AMONG FRIENDS 


93 


above the low country they had left. A great part of the hills 
was covered with trees, although at the point where they had 
made their way up, the hillside was bare. 

They went on until they entered the forest, and there set 
to work to chop fire-wood. Meinik carried a tinder-box, and 
soon had a fire blazing, and by its side they piled a great 
stock of wood. 

“ I do not know that there are any leopards so far south as 
this,” he said, “ but at any rate it will be safer to keep a big 
fire blazing. I never used to think much about leopards, but 
ever since I had that great beast’s foot upon my back I have 
had a horror of them.” 

The next morning they continued their journey south, go- 
ing along boldly and passing through several villages. 

You are late for the war,” an old man said as they went 
through one of them. 

“I know we are,” Meinik replied, “but we were away 
with a caravan of traders when the order came, and so, in- 
stead of going down the river, we have had to journey on 
foot ; but we shall be there in time. From what we have 
heard there has not been much fighting yet.” 

“ No ; the white barbarians are all shut up in Rangoon. 
We have not attacked them in earnest, but we shall soon do 
so, and, moreover, they will soon be all starved, for the 
country has been swept clear of all cattle for twenty miles 
round, the villages deserted, and everything laid waste ; and 
we hear that half their number are laid up with sickness, and 
that a great number have died. I wish that I were younger 
that I too could help to destroy the insolent foes who have 
dared to set foot on our sacred soil.” 

There was no need for haste now, and they travelled by 
easy stages until, by the smoke rising from different parts of 
the forest, they knew that they were approaching the spot 


94 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


where the Burmese forces lay around Rangoon, and indeed 
could see the great pagoda rising above the surrounding coun- 
try. They had heard at the last villages through which they 
had passed that there had been an attack made upon the pa- 
goda on the ist of July. On that day the Burmese in great 
force had moved down in a line parallel to the road between 
the pagoda and the town, along which a considerable number 
of our troops were encamped. They had advanced until with- 
in half a mile of Rangoon, then had changed front and at- 
tacked the British position near the town. They occupied a 
hill near our line, and opened fire from there with jingals and 
small cannon, but two British guns firing grape soon silenced 
their guns, and a Madras regiment charged the hill and re- 
captured it. 

This entirely upset the plan of the Wongee in command of 
the Burmese. The signal for the whole of the army to attack 
was to have been given as soon as their left had broken 
through the British line, and had thus cut off all the troops on 
the road leading to the pagoda from the town. Seeing that 
this movement had failed, the general did not give the signal 
for the general attack, but ordered the troops to fall back. 
He had been recalled in disgrace to Ava, and a senior officer, 
who arrived just after the battle, assumed the command. He 
at once set to work to make a very strong stockade at Kum- 
meroot, five miles from the great pagoda, and also fortified a 
point on the river above Kemmendine — the stockade that had 
been captured by the British — and intended from this point 
to send down fire-rafts to destroy the British shipping, and at 
the same time made continuous attacks at night on the British 
lines. 

The rains at this time were falling incessantly, and the 
Burmese did not think that the British would be able to move 
out against them. The position on the river was connected 


AMONG FRIENDS 


95 


with that at Kummeroot by strong stockades, and the Bur- 
mese general was convinced that if an attack was made it 
could be easily defeated. However, eight days after the re- 
pulse of the Burmese first attack, the vessels came up the 
river, while a land column moved against Kummeroot. The 
position was a strong one ; the river was here divided into two 
branches, and on the point of land between these the princi- 
pal stockade was erected and was well provided with artillery, 
while on the opposite banks of both rivers other stockades 
with guns were erected, so that any attack by water would be 
met by the direct fire from the great stockade and a cross fire 
from those on the banks. Four ships came up, and the Bur- 
mese guns opened upon them, but the heavy fire from the 
men-of-war was not long in silencing them, and then a num- 
ber of boats full of troops had landed and stormed the stock- 
ade, and driven out the Burmese. The land column had been 
unable to take guns with them, owing to the impossibility of 
dragging them along the rain-sodden paths ; and the Burmese 
chiefs, confident in the strength of their principal post, which 
was defended by three lines of strong stockades, one above 
another, and in their immensely superior force, treated with 
absolute contempt the advance of the little British column, of 
which they were informed as soon as it started, by their scouts 
thickly scattered through the woods. 

The general, Soomba Wongee, was just sitting down to din- 
ner when he was told that the column had nearly reached the 
first stockade. He directed his chiefs to proceed to their 
posts and ‘‘drive the audacious strangers away,” and con- 
tinued his meal until the heavy and rapid musketry of the 
assailants convinced him that the matter was more serious 
than he had expected. As a rule the Burmese generals do not 
take any active part in their battles, but Soomba Wongee left 
his tent and at once went towards the point attacked. He 


96 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


found his troops already retreating, and that the two outer 
stockades had been carried by the enemy. He rallied his 
men, and himself led the way to the attack, but the steady 
and continuous fire of the British rendered it impossible for 
him to restore order, and the Burmese remained crowded to- 
gether in hopeless confusion. However, he managed to gather 
together a body of officers and troops, and with them charged 
desperately upon the British soldiers. He, with several other 
leaders of rank, was killed, and the Burmese were scattered 
through the jungle, leaving eight hundred dead behind them. 

The fact that ten stockades provided with thirty pieces of 
artillery should have been captured in one day by the British 
had created a deep impression among the villagers of the 
neighbourhood, from whom the truth could not be concealed, 
and, indeed, all the villages for many miles round the scene 
of action were crowded with wounded. They told Meinik 
that the army was for a time profoundly depressed, many had 
deserted, and the fact that stockades they had thought impreg- 
nable were of no avail whatever against the enemy, whose 
regular and combined action was irresistible as against their 
own isolated and individual method of fighting, had shaken 
their hitherto profound belief in their own superiority to any 
people with whom they might come in contact. 

Since that time no serious fighting had taken place. Occa- 
sional night attacks had been made, and all efforts on the part 
of the invaders to obtain food by foraging parties had proved 
unsuccessful. The boats of the fleet had gone up the Puzen- 
down river that joined the Rangoon river some distance below 
the town, and had captured a large number of boats that had 
been lying there waiting until Rangoon was taken before going 
up the river with their cargoes of rice and salt fish, but they 
had gained no other advantage, for although the villages were 
crowded with fugitives from the town, these were driven into 


AMONG FRIENDS 


97 


the jungle by the troops stationed there for the purpose, as 
soon as the boats were seen coming up the river. In some 
cases, however, the boats had arrived so suddenly that there 
had not been time to do this, and the fugitives had been taken 
to Rangoon, where it was said they had been very well treated. 

Great reinforcements had now come down from the upper 
provinces. Two of the king’s brothers had arrived to take 
command of the army ; one had established himself at Dona- 
bew, the other at Pegu. They had brought with them num- 
bers of astrologers to fix upon a propitious time for an attack ; 
and the king’s Invulnerables, several thousands strong, a 
special corps, whom neither shot nor steel could injure, were 
with them. About the 6th of August a strong position, that 
had been taken up by a force sent by the prince at Pegu, in 
the old Portuguese fort of Syriam, had been attacked, with 
orders that the channel of the Rangoon river should be 
blocked, so that none of the strangers should escape the fate 
that awaited them. The position was a very strong one ; the 
trees and brushwood round the fort had been cleared away, 
wherever there were gaps in the old wall stockades had been 
erected, and great beams suspended from the parapet, in order 
that if an attack was made the ropes could be cut and the 
beams fall upon the heads of the assailants. 

The British had, however, thrown a bridge across a deep 
creek, pushed on against the place, and carried it in a few 
minutes, the garrison flying, as soon as the assailants gained 
the ramparts, to a pagoda standing on a very steep hill, de- 
fended by guns, and assailable only by a very steep flight of 
steps. The troops, however, pressed up these fearlessly, and 
the garrison, discouraged and shaken by the reports of the 
fugitives from the lower fort, had fled as soon as the British 
arrived at the top of the steps. Notwithstanding this and 
other as successful attacks upon their stockades, the Burmese 
7 


98 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


troops now felt confident that with their numerous forces they 
would be victorious whenever the astrologers decided that the 
favourable moment had arrived. 

Meinik had ascertained from the villagers the name of the 
leader, and the locality to which the corps belonged that was 
posted nearest to Rangoon. As soon as it was dark, he and 
Stanley entered the forest. The smoke had served as a guide 
to them as to the position of the different corps, and they 
were able to make their way between these without being ques- 
tioned. Presently, however, they came upon a strong picket. 

“ Where are you going ? ” the officer in command asked. 

“ To join the corps of the Woondock Snodee,” Meinik re- 
plied. “We were away at Bhanno when the order came, 
and the rest had gone down the river before we got to Mew, 
so we came on by ourselves, not wishing to fail in our duty. ’ ’ 

“ You are just in time,” the officer said. “The Woon- 
dock is a quarter of a mile away on the left.” 

They moved off in that direction, but soon left the track, 
and, avoiding the camp, kept away until they reached the 
edge of the forest. Then they crept forward through the jun- 
gle and brushwood, pausing to listen from time to time, and 
three times changing their course to avoid parties of the Bur- 
mese acting as outposts. On issuing from the jungle they 
crawled forward for three or four hundred yards, so as to be 
beyond musket-shot of the outposts, and then remained quiet 
until morning broke. Then they could perceive red coats 
moving about in a small village before which a breastwork 
had been thrown up, some four hundred yards away from 
them, and, getting up to their feet, ran towards it. Several 
shots were fired at them from the jungle behind, and some 
soldiers at once appeared at the breastwork. Supposing that 
the two figures approaching were Burmese deserters they did 
not fire, and Stanley and his companion were soon among 


AMONG FRIENDS 


99 


them. They were soldiers of one of the Bengal regiments, 
and Stanley, to their surprise, addressed them in their own 
language. 

‘‘ I am an Englishman,” he said. I am one of the pris- 
oners whom they took at Ramoo, and have escaped from their 
hands. Are there any of your officers in the village ? ” 

“ I will take you to them,” a native sub-officer said, and 
Stanley in a minute or two entered a cottage in which four 
English officers were just taking their early breakfast prepara- 
tory to turning out on duty. 

“ Whom have you got here, jemadar ? ” one of them asked 
in Bengalee. 

Stanley answered for himself. I am an Englishman, sir, 
and have just escaped from Ava.” * 

The officer uttered an exclamation of surprise. “Well, 
sir,” the senior of them said as he held out his hand to Stan- 
ley, “I congratulate you on having got away, whoever you 
are, but I am bound to say that if it were not for your speech 
I should not have believed you, for I have never seen anyone 
look less like an Englishman than you do. ’ ’ 

“ My name is Stanley Brooke, sir. I am the son of the 
late Captain Brooke of the 15th Native Regiment.” 

“ Then I should know you,” one of the other officers said, 
“for I knew your father, and I remember seeing your name 
in the list of officers killed at Ramoo, and wondered if it 
could be the lad I knew five or six years ago. ’ ’ 

“ I recollect you. Captain Cooke,” Stanley said; “your 
regiment was at Agra when we were there.” 

“ Right you are ; and I am heartily glad that the news of 
your death was false,” and he shook hands cordially with 
Stanley. 

“ And who is your companion ? ” the major asked. “ Is 
he an Englishman also ? ’ ’ 


100 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


No, sir ; he is a native. He is a most faithful fellow. 
He has acted as my guide all the way down from the point we 
started from, twenty miles from Ava. I could never have ac- 
complished it without his aid, for, although I speak Burmese 
well enough to pass anywhere, my face is so different in shape 
from theirs that if I were looked at closely in the daylight I 
should be suspected at once. I could never have got here 
without his aid.” 

“ How was it that he came to help you, sir? ” Major Pem- 
berton asked. “ As far as we can see the Burmese hate us like 
poison. Even when they are wounded to death they will take 
a last shot at any soldiers marching past them.” 

“ I happened to save his life from a leopard,” Stanley said, 
“ and truly he has shown his gratitude.” 

‘‘Jemadar,” the major said, “take that man away with 
you, see that he is well treated ; give him some food, of 
course. He will presently go with this officer to the gen- 
eral.” 

Stanley said a few works in Burmese to Meinik, telling him 
that he was to have food and would afterwards go with him to 
the general, and he then, at the invitation of the officers, sat 
down with them to breakfast. While eating it, Stanley told 
them something of his adventures. After the meal was over 
the major said : 

“You had better go with Mr. Brooke to the general. Cap- 
tain Cooke. I cannot well leave the regiment. We can let 
you have an outfit, Mr. Brooke, though we are most of us re- 
duced pretty well to our last garments. What with the jungle 
and what with the damp, we have nearly all arrived at the 
last state of dilapidation ; but I am sure the general would 
like to see you, in your present disguise.” 

“ It makes no difference to me, sir,” Stanley said with a 
laugh. “ I am so accustomed to this black petticoat now that 


AMONG FRIENDS 


101 


I should almost feel strange in anything else. I am afraid 
this dye will be a long time before it wears itself out. It is 
nearly three weeks since I was dyed last, and it has faded 
very little yet.” 

“You need not take your arms anyhow,” Captain Cooke 
said. “ You will attract less attention going without them, 
for it will only be supposed that you are one of the natives 
who have been brought in by the boats.” 

Meinik was sitting on the ground contentedly outside the 
cottage, the jemadar standing beside him. 

‘ ‘ Have you had any food, Meinik ? ’ ’ Stanley asked. 

The man nodded. “ Good food,” he said. 

“That is all right. Now come along with us; you can 
leave your weapons here — they won’t be wanted.” 

Meinik rose and followed Stanley and Captain Cooke. 
There were houses scattered all along the roadside. These 
were now all occupied by officers and troops ; and there were 
so many of them that it had not been necessary to place any 
of the men under canvas — an important consideration during 
the almost continuous rain of the last three months. 

“ Why, Cooke, I did not know that you talked Burmese,” 
an officer standing at one of the doors remarked, as the officer 
came along chatting with Stanley. 

“You don’t know all my accomplishments, Phillipson,” 
the captain laughed, for the idea that there existed such a 
thing as a Burmese peasant who could talk English had not 
occurred to the other. “I am taking him to the chief to 
show off my powers,” and passed on, leaving the officer 
looking after him with a puzzled expression on his face. 

On their arrival at Sir Archibald Campbell’s headquarters. 
Captain Cooke sent in his name, and as the general was not 
at the moment engaged he was at once shown in, followed by 
Stanley, Meinik remaining without. 


102 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


‘‘Good morning, sir. I see you have brought in a de- . 
serter,” the general said. 

He is not a deserter, sir; he is an escaped prisoner who 
has made his way down from Ava through the enemy’s lines. 
This is Mr. Brooke. He was serving as an officer with the 
native levy at Ramoo, and was reported as killed. However, 
he was fortunately only stunned, and being the only officer 
found alive was sent by Bandoola as a prisoner to Ava. I 
may say that he is a son of the late Captain Brooke, of the 
15th Native Infantry.” 

‘‘You are certainly wonderfully disguised,” the general 
said ; “ and I congratulate you heartily on your escape. I 
should have passed you by as a native without a second 
glance, though now that I am told that you are an English- 
man I can see that you have not the wide cheek-bones and 
flat face of a Burman. How did you manage to make your 
way down ? ’ ’ 

“I travelled almost entirely by night, sir, and I had with 
me a faithful guide. He is outside. I don’t think that I 
should ever have got down without him, though I speak Bur- 
mese well enough to pass — especially as the language differs 
so much in the different districts.” 

“ Is he a Burman ? ” 

“Yes, general.” 

“ Have you arranged with him for any particular sum for 
his services ? If so, it will of course be paid.” 

“ No, sir ; he came down simply in gratitude for a service 
I rendered him. I do not know whether he intends to go 
back ; but I hope that he will remain here with me.” 

“I have brought Mr. Brooke here, sir,” Captain Cooke 
said, “ at the request of the major, thinking that you might 
like to ask him some questions as to the state of things in the 
interior.” 


AMONG FRIENDS 


103 


I should like to have a long talk with Mr. Brooke,” the 
general said; “but unless he has any certain news of the 
date they intend to attack us I will not detain him now. 
The first thing will be for him to get into civilized clothes 
again. By the way, poor young Hitchcock’s effects are to be 
sold this morning. I should think that they would fit Mr. 
Brooke very well. Let me see. Of course your pay has been 
running on since you were taken prisoner, Mr. Brooke.” 

“ I am afraid, sir, that there is no pay due,” Stanley said. 
“ I happened to be at Ramoo at the time, looking after some 
goods of my uncle, who carries on a considerable trade on 
the coast ; and as I talk the language, and there w^ere very 
few who did so, I volunteered to act as an officer with the 
native levy ; I preferred to act as a volunteer in order that I 
might be free to leave at any time if I received an order from 
my uncle to join him at Chittagong. I could give an order 
on him, but I do not know where he is to be found. I have 
with me some uncut rubies, though I have no idea what they 
are worth, for I have not even looked at them yet, but they 
should certainly be good security for ;^5o.” 

“ We can settle that presently, Mr. Brooke. I will write 
an order on the paymaster for 500 rupees, and we can talk 
the matter over afterwards. I am afraid that you will have 
to pay rather high for the clothes, for almost everyone here 
has worn out his kit, and Mr. Hitchcock only joined us a 
fortnight before his death, so that his are in very good con- 
dition. Of course they are all uniform — he was on my staff 
— but that will not matter. You could hardly be going about 
in civilian clothes here. I shall be very glad if you will dine 
with me at six o’clock this evening. Have a talk with your 
man before that, and see what he wants to do. If he is a 
sharp fellow he might be very useful to us.” 

The general wrote the order on the paymaster, and Captain 


104 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


Cooke took Stanley across to the office and obtained the cash 
for it. Making inquiry, he found that the sale was to come 
off in a quarter of an hour. 

I will do the bidding for you if you like, Brooke,” 
Captain Cooke said. “ I dare say you would rather not be 
introduced generally in your present rig.” 

Much rather not, and I shall be much obliged by your 
doing it.” 

All right. I will make your money go as far as I can. 
Of course the poor fellow brought no full-dress uniform with 
him or anything of that sort.” 

“ You will find me here with my Burman,” Stanley said. 

We will stroll round the place for half an hour, and then 
come back here again.” 

There was very little to see in the town. Meinik was 
astonished when they mounted the river bank and had a view 
of the ships lying at anchor. For a time he was too surprised 
to speak, never havmg seen anything larger than the clumsy 
cargo-boats which made a voyage once a year up the river. 

‘‘It is wonderful ! ” he said at last. “ Who would have 
thought of such great ships ? If the emperor could but see 
them, I think that he would make peace. It is easy to see 
that you know many things more than we do. Could one go 
on board of them ? ’ ’ 

“ Not as I am at present, Meinik; but when I get English 
clothes on again and rid myself from some of this stain, I 
have no doubt I shall be able to take you on board one of the 
ships-of-war. And now, will you let me know what you are 
thinking of doing? I told the general what service you had 
rendered me, and he asked me what you were going to do. I 
told him that as yet I did not know whether you were going 
to stay here or go back again.” 

“ Are you going to stay here ? ” 


AMONG FRIENDS 


105 


I think so — at any rate for a time. I do not know where 
the uncle I have told you about is at present. At any rate, 
while this war is going on he can do very little trade, and can 
manage very well without me.” 

As long as you stay here I shall stay,” the Burman said. 

If I went back I should have to fight against your people, 
and I don’t want to do that. I have no quarrel with them, and 
from what I see I am not so sure as I was that we shall drive 
you into the sea. You have beaten us whenever you have 
fought, and I would rather stay with you than be obliged to 
fight against you. Not many men want to fight. We heard 
that in the villages, and that those who have not got wives and 
children held as hostages for them, get away from the army 
and hide in the woods. You will be a great man now, and if 
you will let me stop, I will be your servant.” 

“I will gladly keep you with me, Meinik, if you are will- 
ing to stay, and I am sure that you will be better off here 
than out in the woods, and a good deal safer. At any rate 
stay until after your people make their next attack. You will 
see then how useless it is for them to fight against us. When 
we can attack them in their stockades, although they are ten 
to one against us, and drive them out after a quarter of an 
hour’s fighting, you may be sure that in the open ground with 
out defences they will have no chance whatever. I hope they 
will soon get tired of fighting, and that the court will make 
peace. We did not want to fight with them — it was they who 
attacked us, but now that we have had all the expense of com- 
ing here we shall go on fighting till the emperor agrees to 
make peace; but I don’t think that we shall ever go out of 
Rangoon again, and believe that we shall also hold the ports 
in Tenasserim that we have captured.” 

The emperor will never agree to that,” Meinik said, shak- 
ing his head positively. 


106 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


Then if he does not he will see that we shall go up the 
river to Ava ; and in the end if he goes on fighting we shall 
capture the whole country, and rule over it just as we have 
done the greater part of India. ’ ’ 

“ I think that would be good for us,” the man said philo- 
sophically. ‘ ‘ It would not matter much to us to whom we 
paid our taxes — and you would not tax us more heavily than 
we are now — for as we came down you saw many villages de- 
serted and the land uncultivated because the people could not 
pay the heavy exactions. It is not the king — he does not get 
much of it, but he gives a province or a district or a dozen 
villages to someone at court, and says, you must pay me so 
much, and all that you can get out of it besides is for yourself ; 
so they heap on the taxes, and the people are always in great 
poverty, and when they find that they cannot pay what is de- 
manded and live, then they all go away to some other place 
where the lord is not so harsh.” 

“ I am sure that it would be a good thing for them, Meinik. 
The people of India are a great deal better off under us than 
they were under their native rulers. There is a fixed tax, and 
no one is allowed to charge more or to oppress the people in 
any way. But now we must be going. I said that I would 
be back at the place we started from in half an hour. ’ ’ 


ON THE STAFF 


107 


CHAPTER VII 


ON THE STAFF 



‘APTAIN COOKE had done his best previous to the be- 


Vy ginning of the auction to disarm opposition by going 
about among the officers who dropped in with the intention 
of bidding/telling them something of Stanley’s capture, ad- 
ventures, and escape, and saying that the general had himself 
advised him to obtain an outfit by buying a considerable por- 
tion of the young officer’s kit. 

“ I have no doubt that he will put him on his staff,” he 
said. ‘‘ From his knowledge of the country and the fact that 
he speaks the language well he would be very useful ; and as 
he has gone through all this from serving as a volunteer with- 
out pay, I hope you fellows won’t run up the prices except for 
things that you really want.” 

His story had the desired effect ; and when Captain Cooke 
met Stanley, he was able to tell him that he had bought for 
him the greater portion of the kit, including everything that 
was absolutely necessary. 

“Are there any plain clothes ? ” Stanley asked, after thank- 
ing him warmly for the trouble he had taken. 

“ No. Of course he left everything of that sort at Calcutta. 
No one in his senses would think of bringing mufti out with 
him, especially to such a country as this.” 

“Then I shall have to go in uniform to the general’s,” 
Stanley said, in a tone of consternation. “ It seems to me 
that it would be an awfully impudent thing to go in staff uni- 
form to dine with the general when I have no right whatever 
to wear it.” 

“Well, as the general advised you himself to buy the 


108 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


things, he cannot blame you for wearing them, and I have not 
the least doubt that he is going to offer you a staff appoint- 
ment of some sort.” 

I should like it very much as long as the war lasted. 
Captain Cooke, but I don’t think that I should care about 
staying in the army permanently. You see my uncle is work- 
ing up a very good business ; he has been at it now seven or 
eight years, and he was saying the last time that I was with 
him, that as soon as these troubles were over, and trade began 
again, he should give me a fourth share of it, and make it a 
third share when I got to twenty-one.” 

“ Then you would be a great fool to give it up,” Captain 
Cooke said heartily. ‘‘ A man who has got a good business 
out here would have an income as much as all the officers of a 
regiment together. He is his own master, and can retire 
when he likes, and enjoy his money in England. Still, as 
trade is at a standstill at present, I think that it would be wise 
of you to accept any offer that the general might make to you. 
It might even be to your advantage afterwards. To have 
served on Campbell’s staff will be an introduction to every 
officers’ mess in the country, and you may be sure that not 
only shall we hold Rangoon in future, but there will be a 
good many more British stations between Assam and here 
than there now are, and it would be a pull for you even in 
the way of trade to stand on a good footing everywhere. ’ ’ 

“I quite see that,” Stanley agreed, ‘'and if the general 
is good enough to offer me an appointment I shall certainly 
take it.” 

“ You have almost a right to one, Brooke. In the Penin- 
sula lots of men got their commissions by serving for a time 
as volunteers ; and having been wounded at Ramoo, and 
being one of the few survivors of that fight, and having gone 
through a captivity at no small risk of being put to death the 


ON THE STAFF 


109 


first time that the king was out of temper, your claim is a very 
strong one indeed ; besides, there is hardly a man here who 
speaks Burmese, and your services will be very valuable. Here 
are fifty rupees,” he went on, handing the money to Stanley. 
“ It is not much change out of five hundred, but I can assure 
you that you have got the things at a bargain, for you would 
have had to pay more than that for them in England, and I 
fancy most of the things are in very good condition, for 
Hitchcock only came out about four months ago. Of course 
the clothes are nothing like new, but at any rate they are in a 
very much better state than those of anyone who came here 
three months ago. I have ordered them all to be sent to my 
quarters, where, of course, you will take up your abode till 
something is settled about you, which will probably be this 
evening. In that case you will have quarters allotted to you 
to-morrow.” 

“Thank you very much. I shall devote the best portion 
of this afternoon to trying to get rid of as much of this stain 
as I can, at least off my face and hands ; the rest does not 
matter one way or the other, and will wear off gradually, but 
I should like to get my face decent.” 

“ Well, you are rather an object, Stanley,” he said. “It 
would not matter so much about the colour, but all those 
tattoo marks are, to say the least of it, singular. Of course 
they don’t look so rum now in that native undress, but when 
you get your uniform on the effect will be startling. We will 
have a chat with the doctor ; he may have something in his 
medicine chest that will at least soften them down a bit. Of 
course if they were real tattoo marks there would be nothing 
for it, but as they are only dye or paint of some sort, they 
must wear themselves out before very long.” 

“ I will try anything that he will give me. I don’t care if 
it takes the skin oif.” 


no 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


On returning to the quarters of Captain Cooke, Stanley was 
introduced to the other officers of the regiment, among them 
the doctor, to whom he at once applied for some means of 
taking off the dye. 

Have you asked the man you brought down with you ? ” 
the surgeon said. “ You say that he put it on, and he may 
know of something that will take it off again.” 

“ No ; I have asked him, and he knows of nothing. He 
used some of the dye-stuffs of the country, but he said he 
never heard of anyone wanting to take the dye out of things 
that had been coloured.” 

“ If it were only cotton or cloth,” the doctor said, I have 
no doubt a very strong solution of soda would take out the 
greater portion of the dye, but the human skin won’t stand 
boiling water. However, I should say that if you have water 
as hot as you can bear it, with plenty of soda and soap, it will 
do something for you. No doubt if you were to take a hand- 
ful or two of very fine sand, it would help a great deal, but if 
you use that I should not put any soda with the water, or you 
will practically take all the skin off, and leave your face like a 
raw beef-steak, which will be worse than the stain, and indeed 
in so hot a sun as we have, might be dangerous, and bring on 
erysipelas. So you must be very careful ; and it will be far 
better for you to put up with being somewhat singular in your 
appearance for a bit, than to lay yourself up by taking any 
strong measures to get rid of it.” 

After an hour spent in vigorous washing, and aided by 
several rubs with very fine sand, Stanley succeeded, to his 
great satisfaction, in almost getting rid of the tattoo marks on 
his face. 

The general dye had faded a little, though not much, but 
that with which the marks had been made was evidently of a 
less stable character, and yielded to soap and friction. Before 


ON THE STAFF 


111 


he had concluded the work two trunks arrived, and finding 
that his face was now beginning to smart a good deal, he 
abstained for the time from further efforts, and turned to 
inspect his purchases with a good deal of interest. The uni- 
forms consisted of two undress suits, one with trousers, the 
other with breeches and high boots for riding. There was also 
a suit of mess jacket, waistcoat, and trousers, three suits of 
white drill, half a dozen white shirts for mess, and as many of 
thin flannel, and a good stock of general underclothes, a pair of 
thick boots, and a light pair for mess. There was also the 
sword, belt, and other equipments; in fact, all the necessaries 
he would require for a campaign. Before beginning to dress, 
he began to free his hair from the wax with which it had been 
plastered up. He had obtained from the doctor some spirits 
of turpentine, and with the aid of this he found the task a 
less difficult one than he had expected, and the regimental 
barber being sent for by Captain Cooke, his hair was soon 
shortened to the ordinary length. 

“ You will do very well now,” the major said as he went 
down into the general room. “ You have certainly succeeded 
a great deal better than I thought you would. Of course you 
look very brown, but there are a good many others nearly as 
dark as you are ; for between the rain-showers the sun has 
tremendous power, and some of the men s faces are almost 
skinned, while others have browned wonderfully. I am sure 
that many of them are quite as dark as yours. So you will 
pass muster very well.” 

Before beginning to wash and change, Stanley had given 
Meinik the clothes he had carried down with him, and when 
he went out to take a short look round before tiffin, for which 
the servants were already laying the cloth, he found the man, 
now looking like a respectable Burman, standing near the 
door. He walked slowly past him, but the man did not 


112 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


move, not recognizing him in the slightest degree in his pres- 
ent attire. Then Stanley turned and faced him. 

“So you don’t know me, Meinik.” The Burman gave a 
start of surprise. 

“ Certainly I did not know you, my lord,” he said. “ Who 
could have known you? Before you were a poor Burmese 
peasant, now you are an English lord.” 

“ Not a lord at all, Meinik. I am simply an English 
officer, and dressed very much the same as I was when your 
people knocked me on the head at Ramoo.” 

“ I know your voice,” Meinik said ; “ but even now that 
I know it is you, I hardly recognize your face. Of course the 
tattoo marks made a great difference, but that is not all.” 

“ I think it is the hair that has made most difference, 
Meinik. You see it was all pulled off the brow and neck 
before, and it will be some time before it will grow natu- 
rally again. I had great trouble to get it to lie down, even 
when it was wet, and it will certainly have a tendency to stick 
up for a long time. The dress has made a good deal of alter- 
ation in you too.” 

“They are very good clothes,” Meinik said. “I have 
never had such good ones on before. I have had money 
enough to buy them, but people would have asked where I got 
it from, and it never does to make a show of being better off 
than one’s neighbour. A man is sure to be fleeced if he does. 
What can I do for my lord ? ’ ’ 

“ Nothing at present, Meinik. I am going to lunch with 
the officers here, and to dine with the general, and sleep here. 
To-morrow I daresay I shall move into quarters of my own. 
You had better buy what you want for to-day in the market. 
I don’t know whether it is well supplied, but as we saw some 
of your people about there must be food to be obtained.” 

“ They gave me plenty to eat when I came in,” he said, 


ON THE STAFF 


113 


“ but I will buy something for supper. No, I do not want 
money, I have plenty of lead left. ’ ’ 

“ You had better take a couple of rupees anyhow. There 
are sure to be some traders from India who have opened 
shops here, and they won’t care to take lead in payment. 
You must get some fresh muslin for your turban, and you had 
better close it up at the top this time ; it will go better with 
your clothes.” 

Meinik grinned. “ I shall look quite like a person of im- 
portance. I shall be taken for at least the head-man of a 
large village. ’ ’ 

He took the two rupees and walked off towards the town, 
while Stanley went in to luncheon. There were a good many 
remarks as to his altered appearance. 

“Do you know, Brooke,” one of the young lieutenants 
said, “ I did not feel at all sure that Cooke was not hum- 
bugging us when he introduced you to us, and that you were 
not really a Burman who had travelled and had somehow 
learned to speak English extraordinarily well.” 

“ Clothes and soap and water make a wonderful differ- 
ence,” Stanley laughed, “ but I shall be a good many shades 
lighter when the rest of the dye wears off. At any rate, I 
can go about now without anyone staring at me.” 

After tiffin, Stanley had to tell his story again at a very 
much greater length than before. 

“You certainly have gone through some queer advent- 
ures,” the major said when he had finished his relation; 

‘ ‘ and there is no doubt that you have had wonderful luck. 
In the first place, if that bullet had gone half an inch lower 
you would not have been one of the four white survivors of 
that ugly business at Ramoo ; then you were lucky that they 
did not chop off your head, either when they first took you 
or when they got you to Ava. Then again it was lucky that 
8 


114 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


Bandoola sent a special message that he wanted you kept as 
an interpreter for himself, and that the official in charge of 
you turned out a decent fellow and aided you to make your 
escape. As to your obtaining the services of the man you 
brought down with you, I do not regard that as a question of 
luck. You saved the man’s life by an act of the greatest 
bravery, one that not one man in ten would perform or try to 
perform, for the life of a total stranger. I hope that I should 
have made the effort had I been in your place, but I say 
frankly that I am by no means sure that I should have done 
so. The betting was a good twenty to one against its being 
done successfully. If the brute had heard your footstep it 
would have been certain death, and even when you reached 
him the chances were strongly against your being able to 
strike a blow at the animal that would for a moment disable 
him and so give you time to snatch up one of the guns, which 
might not, after all, have been loaded. It was a wonderfully 
gallant action, lad. You did not tell us very much about it 
yourself ; but while you were getting the dye off I got hold of 
one of the traders here, who happened to be passing, and who 
understood their language, and with his assistance I ques- 
tioned your fellow and got all the particulars from him. I 
say again it was as plucky a thing as I have ever heard of.” 

A few minutes later an orderly came in with a note from 
the general, asking the major and Captain Cooke also to dine 
with him that evening. Stanley was very pleased that the 
two officers were going with him, as it took away the feeling 
of shyness he felt at the thought of presenting himself in staff 
uniform at the general’s. Sir Archibald Campbell put him at 
ease at once by the kindness with which he received him. 
Stanley began to apologize for his dress, but the general 
stopped him at once. 

“ I intended, of course, that you should wear it, Mr. Brooke. 


ON THE STAFF 


115 


I am sure that you would not find a dress suit in the camp. 
However, we will make matters all right to-morrow. Judg- 
ing from what you said that, as you cannot join your uncle at 
present, you would be willing to remain here, your name will 
appear in orders to-morrow morning as being granted a com- 
mission in the 89th pending the arrival of confirmation from 
home, which of course in such a case is a mere form. You 
will also appear in the orders as being appointed my aide-de- 
camp in place of Mr. Hitchcock, with extra pay as inter- 
l)reter. No, do not thank me. Having served as a vol- 
unteer, taken part in a severe action, and having been 
wounded and imprisoned, you had almost a right to a com- 
mission. After dinner I hope that you will give us all a full 
account of your adventures ; it was but a very slight sketch 
that I heard from you this morning.” 

The general then introduced Stanley to the other members 
of his staff. 

If you had seen him as I saw him this morning,” he said 
with a smile, you certainly would not recognize him now. 
He was naked to the waist, and had nothing on but the usual 
peasant attire of a piece of black cloth reaching to his knees. 
I knew of course that the question of costume would soon be 
got over, but I own that I did not think that I should be able 
to employ him for some little time. Not only was his stain a 
great deal darker than it is now, but he was thickly tattooed 
up to the eyes, and one could hardly be sending messages by 
an aide-de-camp so singular in appearance; but I see that 
somehow he has entirely got rid of the tattoo marks, and his 
skin is now very little, if at all, darker than that of many 
of us, so that I shall be able to put him in harness at 
once.” 

After dinner was over and cigars lighted, Stanley told his 
story as before, passing over lightly the manner in which he 


116 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


had gained the friendship of the Burman. When he had fin- 
ished, however, Major Pemberton said : 

“ With your permission, general, I will supplement the 
story a little. Mr. Brooke has told me somewhat more than 
he has told you, but I gained the whole facts from his guide’s 
own lips.” 

No, major, please,” Stanley said colouring, even under 
his dye. The matter is not worth telling.” 

‘^You must permit us to be a judge of that, Mr. Brooke,” 
the general said, with a smile at the young fellow’s interrup- 
tion of his superior officer. 

“ I beg your pardon. Major Pemberton,” Stanley stam- 
mered in some confusion. Only — ” 

Only you would rather that I did not tell about your 
struggle with the leopard. I think it ought to be told, and I 
am pretty sure Sir Archibald Campbell will agree with me,” 
and Major Pemberton then gave a full account of the advent- 
ure in the forest. 

Thank you, major. You were certainly quite right in 
telling the story, for it is one that ought to be told, and if 
Mr. Brooke will forgive my saying so, is one of those cases 
in which it is a mistake for a man to try to hide his light un- 
der a bushel. You see it cannot but make a difference in the 
estimation in which we hold you. Most young fellows would, 
as you did, have joined their countrymen when threatened by 
a greatly superior enemy ; and, again, most would, if prison- 
ers, have taken any opportunity that offered to effect their 
escape. Therefore in the brief account that you gave me this 
morning, it appeared to me that you had behaved pluckily 
and shrewdly, and had well earned a commission, especially 
as you have a knowledge of the language. You simply told 
me that you had been able to render some service to the 
Burman who travelled down with you, but such service might 


have been merely that you assisted him when he was in want, 
bound up a wound, or any other small matter. Now we find 
that you performed an act of singular courage, an act that 
even the oldest shikaree would have reason to be proud of 
Such an act, performed, too, for a stranger, and that stranger 
an enemy, would of itself give any man a title to the esteem 
and regard of any among whom he might be thrown, and 
would lead them to regard him in an entirely different light 
to that in which they would otherwise have held him. I 
think that you will all agree with me, gentlemen.” 

Certainly.” There was a chorus of assent from the 
circle of officers. His narrative had, as the general said, 
shown, that the young fellow was possessed of coolness, 
steadiness, and pluck ; but this feat was altogether out of 
the common, and, as performed by a mere lad, seemed little 
short of marvellous. 

You will of course have Hitchcock’s quarters,” the 
quartermaster-general said to Stanley as the party broke up. 
“ It is a small room, but it has the advantage of being water- 
tight, which is more than one can say of most of our quarters. 
It is a room in the upper storey of the next house. I fancy 
the poor fellow’s card is on the door still. The commissariat 
offices are in the lower part of the house, and they occupy all 
the other rooms upstairs, but we kept this for one of the 
aides-de-camp, so that the general could send a message at 
once night or day.” 

Of course I shall want a horse, sir.” 

Yes, you must have a horse. I will think over what we 
can do for you in that way. There is no buying one here, 
unless a field-officer is killed or dies. By the way, Hitch- 
cock’s horses are not sold yet ; they were not put up yester- 
day. I have no doubt that some arrangement can be made 
about them and the saddlery. ’ ’ 


118 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


That would be excellent, sir. As I told the general this 
morning, I have some rubies and other stones. I have no 
idea what they are worth. They were given me by those 
men I was with in the forest. They said that they were very 
difficult to dispose of, as the mines are monopolies of govern- 
ment, so when my man Meinik proposed it, they acceded at 
once to his request and handed a number of them over to me. 
I have not even looked at them. There may be someone 
here who could tell me what they are worth.” 

“Yes, I have no doubt some of those Parsee merchants 
who have lately set up stores could tell you. I should only 
take down two or three stones to them if I were you. If 
they are really valuable you might be robbed of them ; but 
I am rather afraid that you will not find that they are so. 
Brigand fellows will hardly have been likely to give you 
anything very valuable.” 

“I don’t think that they looked at them themselves; 
they were the proceeds of one day’s attack on a number of 
merchants. They found them concealed on them, and they 
were so well satisfied with the loot they got in merchandise 
that they could dispose of, that I doubt whether they even 
opened the little packages of what they considered the 
most dangerous goods to keep, for if they were captured 
and gems found upon them, it would be sufficient to con- 
demn them at once.” 

“ Do you speak Hindustani? If not, I will send one of 
the clerks with you.” 

“Yes, sir; and three or four other of the Indian lan- 
guages.” 

“ Ah ! then you can manage for yourself. When you have 
seen one of these Parsees, come round to my office. I shall 
have seen the paymaster by that time, and have talked over 
with him how we can arrange about the horses. I should 


ON THE STAFF 


119 


think that the best way would be to have a committee of 
three officers to value them and the saddlery, and then you 
might authorize him to receive your extra pay as interpreter, 
and to place it to Hitchcock’s account. You will find your 
own staff-pay more than ample here, as there are no expenses 
whatever except your share of the mess.” 

“ Thank you very much, indeed. Colonel.” 

In the morning Stanley took one of the little parcels from 
the bag and opened it ; it contained thirty stones, of which 
twenty were rubies, six sapphires, and four emeralds. They 
seemed to him of a good size, but as they were in the rough 
state he had no idea what size they would be when cut. 
There were three of the Parsee merchants. The first he went 
to said at once that he did not deal in gems ; the next he 
called on examined the stones carefully. 

It is impossible to say for certain,” he said, “ how much 
they are worth until they are cut, for there may be flaws in 
them that cannot be detected. Now, if I were to buy them 
like this I could not give more than a hundred rupees each. 
If they are all flawless they would be worth much more ; but it 
would be a pure speculation, and I will not go beyond that sum. ’ ’ 

Stanley then visited the third store. The trader here in- 
spected them a little more carefully than the last had done, 
examined them with a magnifying-glass, held them up to the 
light, then he weighed each stone and jotted down some 
figures. At last he said, The stones are worth five thou- 
sand rupees. If they are flawless they would be worth double 
that. I will give you five thousand myself, or, if you like, I 
will send them to a friend of mine at Madras. He is one of 
the best judges of gems in India ; he shall say what he will 
give for them, and you shall pay me five per cent, commis- 
sion. He is an honest trader j you can ask any of the officers 
from Madras.” 


120 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


‘‘ I will accept that offer if you will make me an advance 
of fifteen hundred rupees upon them, and will pay you at the 
rate of ten per cent, per annum interest till you receive the 
money for them.” 

The Parsee again took the gems and examined them care- 
fully. 

Do you agree to take the jeweller’s offer whatever it is? ” 
“Yesj that is to say, if it is over the five thousand; if 
it is under the five thousand I will sell them to you at that 
sum.” 

I agree to that,” the man said. “ But do not fear ; if 
the two largest stones are without a flaw, they alone are 
worth five thousand.” 

Let us draw up the agreement at once,” Stanley said. 
And accordingly the terms were drawn up in Hindustani 
and were signed by both parties. The Parsee then went to a 
safe, unlocked it, and counted out the rupees to the value 
of ;^i5o. These he placed in a bag and handed them to 
Stanley, who, delighted at the sum that he had obtained for 
but a small portion of the gems, went to the quartermaster- 
general’s office. 

We have just finished your business,” Colonel Adair said 
as he entered. ‘‘Major Moultrie, the paymaster. Colonel 
Watt, and myself have examined the horses. I know that 
Hitchcock paid sixty pounds apiece for them at Calcutta. 
They are both Arabs and good ones, and were not dear at 
the money. Our opinion is that if they were put up to auc- 
tion here they would fetch ^^40 apiece, and that the saddle 
and bridle, holsters, and accoutrements would fetch another 
^20. There are also a pair of well-finished pistols in the 
holsters ; they were overlooked or they would have been put 
up in the sale yesterday ; they value them at ^8 the brace, in 
all ;^io8. Will that suit you? The major will, as I proposed, 


ON THE STAFF 


121 


Stop the money from your pay as a first-class interpreter, that 
is two hundred and fifty rupees a month, so that in four 
months and a half you will have cleared it off.” 

“ I am very much obliged to you. Colonel, but I have just 
received an advance of fifteen hundred rupees on some of my 
gems which the Parsee is going to send to a jeweller of the 
name of Burragee at Madras.” 

“ I congratulate you, for I hardly hoped that they would 
turn out to be worth so much. Burragee is a first-rate man, 
and you can rely upon getting a fair price from him. Well, 
that obviates all difficulty. By the way, I should recommend 
you to get a light bedstead and bed and a couple of blankets 
at one of the Parsee stores. Of course, you did not think of 
it yesterday or you might have bought Hitchcock’s. How- 
ever, I noticed in one of the Parsees’ shops a number of 
light bamboo bedsteads, which are the coolest and best in a 
climate like this. If you lay a couple of blankets on the bam- 
boos you will find that you don’t want a mattress.” 

I don’t know what my duties are, sir, or whether the 
general will be wanting me.” 

‘‘ He will not want you to-day. Anyhow he will know 
that you will be making your arrangements, and moving into 
your quarters. By the way, Hitchcock brought a syce with 
him. You must have a man for your horses, and I have no 
doubt he will be glad to stay on with you.” 

Two hours later Stanley was installed in his quarters — a 
room some twelve feet long by eight wide. A bed stood in 
one corner. There was a table for writing on, two light bam- 
boo chairs, and an Indian lounging chair. In the corner was 
a small bamboo table, on which was a large brass basin, while 
a great earthenware jar for water stood beside it, and a piece 
of Indian matting covered the floor. He learned that the staff 
messed together in a large room in the next house, and that 


122 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


he would there get a cup of coffee and a biscuit at six in the 
morning, breakfast at half-past eight, lunch and dinner ; so 
that he would not have to do any cooking whatever for him- 
self. He had given Meinik a small sum to lay out in cooking- 
pots and necessaries for his own use. The syce had gladly 
entered his employ. Stanley had inspected the horses, which, 
although light to the eye, would be well capable of bearing 
his weight through a long day’s work. They were picketed 
with those of the general and staff, in a- line behind the house 
devoted to the headquarters. After lunch he went into the 
general’s, and reported himself as ready for duty. 

“ I shall not want you this afternoon, Mr. Brooke. Here is a 
plan showing the position of the different corps ; you had bet- 
ter get it by heart ; when it gets cooler this afternoon I should 
advise you to ride out, and examine the position and the roads, 
so that even at night you can, if necessary, carry a message to 
any of the regiments. The Burmese are constantly creeping up 
and stabbing our sentries, and sometimes they attack in con- 
siderable force. When anything like heavy firing begins it will 
be your duty to find out at once what is going on, and bring 
me word, as it may be necessary to send up reinforcements. 

In the morning it will be your duty to examine any pris- 
oners who have been taken during the night, and also natives 
who have made their way into the town, in order to ascertain 
whether any date has been fixed for their next attack, and 
what forces are likely to take part in it. You can make your 
man useful at this work. By the way, I will tell Colonel 
Adair to put him down on the- list of the quartermaster’s na- 
tive followers. He need not do anything else but this. But 
it is likely that the natives will speak more freely to him than 
they would to a white officer, and he may as well be earning 
thirty rupees a month and drawing rations as hanging about 
all day doing nothing. ’ ’ 


ON THE STAFF 


123 


Thanking the general, Stanley took the plan, and going 
back to his quarters studied it attentively. He told Meinik 
of the arrangement that had been made for him, with which 
the Burman was much pleased. Thirty rupees a month seemed 
a large sum to him, and he was glad that he should not be 
costing Stanley money for his food. Three hours later one 
of his horses was brought round, and he started on his ride 
through the camp. There were two roads leading through 
the town to the great pagoda. Both were thickly bordered 
by religious houses and pagodas, the latter, for the most part, 
being in a state of dilapidation. Houses and pagodas alike 
had been turned into quarters for the troops, and had been 
invaluable during the wet season. 

The terrace of the great pagoda was occupied by the 89 th 
Regiment and the Madras Artillery. This was the most ad- 
vanced position, and was the key of the defence. Leaving 
his horse in charge of his syce at the foot of the pagoda hill, 
Stanley went up to the terrace and soon entered into conver- 
sation with some of the British officers, who at once recog- 
nized him as having been that morning put in orders as the 
general’s aide-de-camp. As he was unknown to every one, 
and no ship had come in for some days, there was naturally 
much curiosity felt as to who the stranger was who had been 
appointed to a commission and to the coveted post of aide- 
de-camp in one day. After chatting for two or three min- 
utes, they conducted Stanley to the colonel’s quarters, a small 
building at the foot of the pagoda. 

^‘This is Mr. Brooke, Colonel, the gentleman who was 
gazetted to us this morning. ’ ’ 

“ I am glad to see you, Mr. Brooke, but I should be more 
glad still if you had been coming to join, for we have lost sev- 
eral officers from sickness, and there are others unfit for duty. 
When did you arrive?” 


134 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


“ I arrived only yesterday morning, sir. I came here in 
disguise, having made my way down from Ava.” 

^‘Oh, indeed ! We heard a report that a white man had 
arrived in disguise at the lines of the 45th Native Infantry, 
but we have had no particulars beyond that.” 

“ I was captured at Ramoo, sir, while I was acting as an 
officer of the native levy. Fortunately I was stunned by the 
graze of a musket-ball, and being supposed dead, was not 
killed, as were all the other officers who fell into the hands of 
the Burmese. Their fury had abated by the time I came to 
myself, and I was carried up to Ava with some twenty sepoy 
prisoners. After a time I made my escape from prison and 
took to the forest, where I remained some weeks till the search 
for me had abated somewhat. Then I made my way down 
the country, for the most part in a fishing-boat, journeying 
only at night, and so succeeded in getting in here. Fortu- 
nately I speak the Mug dialect, which is very closely akin to 
the Burmese.” 

Well,” the colonel said, I hope that you will consider 
the regiment your home, though I suppose that, until the 
campaign is at an end, you will only be able to pay us an 
occasional visit. You are lucky in getting the staff appoint- 
ment. No doubt your being able to talk Burmese has a great 
deal to do with it.” 

Everything, I think, sir. The general had no one on 
his staff who could speak the language, and, unless he hap- 
pened to have with him one of the very few men here who 
can do so, often had to wait some time before a prisoner 
could be questioned.” 

He remained chatting for half an hour, and then rode back 
to the town, taking the other road to that which he had 
before traversed. 


THE PAGODA 


125 


CHAPTER VIII 


THE PAGODA 



^WO days later a prisoner was captured when endeavour- 


1 ing to crawl up the pagoda hill, having slipped past the 
outposts, and was sent into headquarters. Stanley questioned 
him closely, but could obtain no information whatever from 
him. Telling him to sit down by the house he placed a 
British sentry over him. 

“Keep your eye,” he said, “on the door of the next 
house. You will see a Burman come out. You are to let 
him talk with the prisoner, but let no one else speak to him. 
Don’t look as if you had any orders about him, but stand 
carelessly by. The fellow will tell us nothing, but it is likely 
enough that he will speak to one of his own countrymen.” 

“I understand, sir.” Stanley went into his house and 
told Meinik what he was wanted to do. 

“I will find out,” Meinik said confidently, and a minute 
or two later went out and strolled along past the prisoner. 
As he did so he gave him a little nod, and returning again 
shortly, saluted him in Burmese. The third time he passed 
he looked inquiringly at the sentry, as if to ask whether he 
might speak to the prisoner. The soldier, however, appeared 
to pay no attention to him, but stood with grounded musket 
leaning against the wall, and Meinik went up to the man. 

“ You are in bad luck,” he said. “ How did you manage 
to fall into the hands of these people ? ” 

“It matters not to you,” the Burman said indignantly, 
“ since you have gone over to them.” 

“Not at all, not at all,” Meinik replied. “Do you not 
know that there are many here who, like myself, have come 


126 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


in as fugitives, with instructions what to do when our people 
attack ? I am expecting news as to when the soothsayers de- 
clare the day to be a fortunate one. Then we shall all be in 
readiness to do our share as soon as the firing begins. ’ ’ 

It will be on the fourth day from this,” the Burman 
said. We do not know whether it will be the night before 
or the night after. The soothsayers say both will be fort- 
unate nights, and the Invulnerables will then assault the 
pagoda and sweep the barbarians away. The princes and 
woongees will celebrate the great annual festival there two 
days later.” 

“That is good!” Meinik said. “We shall be on the 
look-out, never fear.” 

“ What are they going to do to me ; will they cut off my 
head ? ” 

“No, you need not be afraid of that; these white men 
never kill prisoners. After they are once taken, they are safe. 
You will be kept for a time, and when our countrymen have 
destroyed the barbarians and taken the town they will free 
you from prison. There are some of the white officers com- 
ing; I must get away, or they will be asking questions.” 

As he walked away the sentry put his musket to his 
shoulder and began to march briskly up and down. A 
moment later the general stepped up to him. 

‘ ^ What are you doing, my man ? who put you on guard 
over that prisoner ? ’ ’ 

“I don’t know his name, sir,” the sentry said, standing 
at attention. “ He was a young staff officer ; he came to the 
guard-tent and called for a sentry, and as I was next on duty 
the sergeant sent me with him. He put me to watch this 
man.” 

“All right; keep a sharp look-out over him. I wonder 
what Brooke left the fellow here for, instead of sending him 


THE PAGODA 


127 


to prison,” the general said to Colonel Adair. We ex- 
amined him, but could get nothing out of him even when I 
threatened to hang him.” 

I will just run up to his quarters and ask him, sir.” 

Just as he entered the house Stanley was coming down the 
stairs. 

The general wants to know, Mr. Brooke, why you placed 
a prisoner under a guard by his house, instead of sending him 
to the prison, as usual? ” 

I was just coming to tell him, sir.” 

Ah, well, he is outside ; so you can tell us both together.” 

Well, Mr. Brooke, what made you put a sentry over the 
man and leave him here? The men are hard enough worked 
without having unnecessary sentry duty.” 

Yes, sir; I only left him for a few minutes. I was con- 
vinced the man knew something by his demeanour when I 
questioned him, and I thought I might as well try if my man 
could not get more out of him than I could ; so I put a sentry 
over him and gave him instructions that he was to let a Bur- 
man who would come out of this house speak to the prisoner, 
but that no one else was to approach him. Then I in- 
structed my man as to the part that he was to play. He 
passed two or three times, making a sign of friendship to the 
prisoner. Then, as the sentry had apparently no objection to 
his speaking to him, he came up. At first the man would say 
nothing to him, but Meinik told him that he was one of those 
who had been sent to Rangoon to aid when the assault took 
place, and that he was anxiously waiting for news when the 
favourable day would be declared by the astrologers, so that 
he and those with him would be ready to begin their work as 
soon as the attack commenced. The prisoner fell into the 
snare and told him that it would be made either on the night 
before or on the night of the fourth day from this, when the 


128 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


Invulnerables had undertaken to storm the pagoda. It seems 
that the date was fixed partly because it was a fortunate one, 
and also in order that the princes and head officials might 
properly celebrate the great annual festival of the pagoda, 
which falls, it seems, on the sixth day from now. ’ ’ 

Excellent indeed, Mr. Brooke. It is a great relief to me 
to know when the assault is going to take place, and from 
what point it will be delivered. But what made you think of 
the story that the Burman was one of a party that had come 
in to do something? ” 

‘‘ It was what Colonel Adair mentioned at dinner last even- 
ing, sir. He was saying how awkward it would be if some 
of these natives who have come in were to fire the town just 
as a strong attack was going on, and most of the troops 
engaged with the enemy. It was not unlikely that if such a 
plan had been formed the prisoner would know of it, and 
that he might very well believe what my man said, that 
some men had been sent into the town with that or some 
similar intention.” 

“True enough; the idea was a capital one, Mr. Brooke, 
and we shall be ready for them whichever night they come. 
Will you please go across to the guard-tent and tell the 
sergeant to send a corporal across to the man on sentry 
with orders to take the prisoner to the jail, and hand him 
over to the officer in command there? When you have done 
that, will you ride out to the pagoda and inform your colonel 
what you have discovered ? It will be a relief to him and 
to the men, for as the date of the attack has been uncertain, 
he has been obliged to largely increase his patrols, and to 
keep a portion of his force all night under arms. He will 
be able to decrease the number, and let the men have as 
much sleep as they can for the next two nights. The clouds 
are banking up, and I am very much afraid that the rain is 


THE PAGODA 


129 


going to set in again. They say that we shall have another 
two months of it.” 

After seeing the prisoner marched away, Stanley rode to 
the pagoda, and saying that he had come with a message 
from the general, was at once shown into the colonel’s 
quarters. 

“ Any news, Mr. Brooke ? ” 

“Yes, Colonel; the general has requested me to inform 
you at once of the news that I have obtained from a prisoner, 
namely, that either on the night of the 30th or 31st your 
position will be attacked by the men who are called the 
Invulnerables.” 

“ We will give them a chance of proving whether their 
title is justified,” the colonel said cheerfully. “ That is very 
good news ; the men are getting thoroughly worn out with 
the extra night duty caused by this uncertainty. You think 
that there is no doubt that the news is correct ? ’ ’ 

“ None whatever, sir. I could do nothing with the 
prisoner ; but my Burman pretended to have a mission here 
to kick up a row in the town when the attack began, 
and the man, believing his story, at once told him that the 
attack will be made on the pagoda by the Invulnerables on 
the early morning of the fourth day from this, or on the 
next night, the astrologers having declared that the time 
.would be propitious, and also because they were very anxious 
to have the pagoda in their hands, in order that the princes 
might celebrate the great annual festival that is held, it seems, 
two days after.” 

The colonel laughed. I am afraid that they will have to 
put it off for another year. The general gave no special orders, 
I suppose? ” 

“ No, sir; he had only just received the news, and ordered 
me to ride over at once to you, as he was sure that you would 


9 


130 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


be glad to know that it would not be necessary to keep so 
many men on night duty for the next two days.” 

Thank you, Mr. Brooke. Will you kindly tell the gen- 
eral that I am very pleased at the news ? No doubt he will 
be up here himself this afternoon or to-morrow.” 

Stanley rode back fast, and was just in time to escape a 
tremendous downpour of rain which began a few minutes 
after he returned. He went in at once to the general’s, but 
was told that he was engaged with the quartermaster and 
adjutant generals. He therefore went into the anteroom 
where Tollemache, his fellow aide-de-camp, was standing at 
the window looking out at the rain. 

^‘This is a beastly climate,” he grumbled. ‘‘It is awful 
to think that we are likely to get another two months of it, 
and shall then have to wait at least another before the coun- 
try is dry enough to make a move. You were lucky in get- 
ting in just now before it began.” 

“ I was indeed,” Stanley agreed, “for I had ridden off 
without my cloak, and should have been drenched had it 
begun two minutes earlier.” 

“ I saw you gallop past, and wondered what you were in 
such a hurry about. Was it like this when you were out in 
the woods ? ’ ’ 

“ Not in the least. There is very little rain near Ava, 
though the country is a good deal flooded, where it is flat, 
from the rivers being swollen by the rains in the hills. We 
had lovely weather all the time. ’ ’ 

“ I should like to see a little lovely weather here. The 
last week has been almost worse than the rain — the steamy 
heat is like being in a vapour bath. If it were not that I am 
on duty I should like to strip, and go out and enjoy a shower 
bath for half an hour.” 

Stanley laughed. “ It really would be pleasant,” he said. 


THE PAGODA 


131 


“ I don’t think that I gained much by hurrying back, for the 
gallop has thrown me into such a perspiration that I might 
almost as well be drenched by the rain, except that my 
clothes won’t suffer so much.” 

^‘Ah, it is all very well for you,” the other grumbled. 
“ Of course after once having wandered about in the forest 
painted up like a nigger you feel cheerful under almost any 
circumstances, but for us who have been cooped up doing 
nothing in this beastly place, it is impossible to look at 
things cheerfully. ’ ’ 

“ Have you heard that the enemy are going to attack on 
Tuesday or Wednesday night? ” 

“No!” the other exclaimed with a sudden animation. 
“ The general only came in a quarter of an hour ago, and as 
he had the two bigwigs with him of course I did not speak to 
him. Is it certain ? how did you hear it? ” 

“It is quite certain — that is, unless the Burmese change 
their mind, which is not likely. The princes want to cele- 
brate the great annual festival at the pagoda on Friday, and 
so the Invulnerables are going, as they think, to capture it 
either on Tuesday or Wednesday night. I have just been 
up there to tell the colonel. As to your other question, how 
did I learn it, — I got it, or rather my Burman did, from that 
prisoner we were questioning this morning. He would not 
say anything then, but my man got round him, and, believing 
that he was a spy or something of that kind, the prisoner told 
him all about it.” 

“ Are they only going to attack at the pagoda ? ” 

“ That I cannot say; that is the only point that the man 
mentioned. I should say that it would only be there.” 

“ Why should it only be there ? ” 

“ Because I should imagine that even the Burmese must 
be beginning to doubt whether they could defeat our whole 


132 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


force, and as they particularly wish to occupy the pagoda on 
Friday, they would hardly risk an attack on other points 
which might end in disaster, while what with the propitious 
nature of the day and the fact that the Invulnerables have 
undertaken to capture the pagoda, no doubt they look upon 
that as certain.'’ 

‘‘ I suppose that you are right, Brooke. Well, I do hope 
that the general will let us go up to see the fun.” 

What, even if it is raining ? ” 

Of course,” the other said indignantly. ‘‘What does 
one care for rain when there is something to do ? Why, I be- 
lieve that if it was coming down in a sheet, and the men had 
to wade through the swamps waist deep, they would all march 
in the highest spirits if there was the chance of a fight with 
the Burmans at the end of the day. However, I am afraid 
that there is no chance of our getting off unless the chief goes 
himself. There may be attacks in other places. As you say, 
it is not likely ; but it is possible. Therefore, of course, we 
should have to be at hand to carry orders. Of course if he 
takes his post at the pagoda, it will be all right, though the 
betting is that we shall have to gallop off just at the most in- 
teresting moment.” 

Presently the two officers left the general. The latter’s 
bell rang, and Stanley went in. 

“You saw the colonel, Mr. Brooke ? ” 

“Yes, sir ; and he begged me to say that he was extremely 
glad to get the news, and much obliged to you for sending it 
so promptly.” 

“ There is no occasion for you and Mr. Tollemache to stay 
here any longer now, but at five o’clock I shall ride out to the 
pagoda. At any rate, should I want you before then, I shall 
know where to send for you. ’ ’ 

This was the general order, for in the afternoon there was. 


THE PAGODA 


133 


when things were quiet, a hush for two or three hours. The 
work of the aides-de-camp was indeed generally very light, 
for, as there were no movements of troops, no useless parades, 
and very few military orders to be carried, they had a great 
deal of time on their hands, and usually took it by turns to be 
on duty for the day, the one off duty being free to pay visits 
to acquaintances in the various camps or on board ship. 
During the rainy season, however, very few officers or men 
went beyond shelter unless obliged to do so, and from two till 
four or five no small proportion passed the time in sleep. 

Stanley had intended to pay a visit to the Larne, as Cap- 
tain Marryat, who had dined at the staff mess on the previous 
evening, had invited him to go on board whenever it might 
be convenient to him. The Larne had performed good ser- 
vice in the operations against the stockades, and her boats had 
been particularly active and successful. Her captain was one 
of the most popular as well as one of the .most energetic offi- 
cers in the service, and was to become as popular with future 
generations, as the brightest of all writers of sea stories. 
However, the day was not favourable for an excursion on the 
water ; Stanley therefore went back to his room, where, di- 
vesting himself of his jacket, he sat down at the open window 
and read up a batch of the last newspapers from England that 
had been lent him by Colonel Adair. 

At five o’clock Meinik came in to say that his horse was at 
the general’s door. Stanley hastily put on his jacket and cloak, 
and sallied out. The general came down in a few minutes, 
followed by Tollemache, and, mounting, they rode to the 
pagoda. Here Sir Archibald had a talk with the colonel of 
the 89th and the officer commanding the battery of the 
Madras Artillery. Both were of opinion that their force 
was amply sufficient to resist any attack. The only approach 
to it from the forest was a long road between two swamps. 


134 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


which, a short distance away, had become lakes since the wet 
weather set in. 

‘‘ Had they taken us by surprise,” the colonel said, ^^some 
of them might have got across before we were quite ready for 
them, and might have given us some trouble ; but as we shall 
be prepared I don’t think that any of them will reach the foot 
of this hill, and if they did, none of them would reach this 
terrace. If an attack were made from the other side, it would 
of course be a good deal more serious, as the ground is firm 
and they could attack all along the foot of the hill ; but, as 
they cannot get there until they have defeated the rest of the 
army, I consider that, even without the assistance of the guns, 
we could hold the hill with musket and bayonet against any 
force that they are likely to bring against us.” 

Very well, then ; I shall not reinforce you, Colonel. Of 
course we shall keep a considerable number of troops under 
arms, in case they-should attack all along the line, at the 
same time that they make their principal effort here. I 
rather hope that the rain will keep on until this affair is over.” 
The colonel looked surprised. 

“ I am much more afraid,” the general went on, of fire 
in the town than I am of an attack without. The number 
of natives there is constantly increasing. No doubt the 
greater number of those who come in are natives of the place 
who have managed, since we cleared out their war galleys 
from .some of the creeks and channels, to escape from the au- 
thorities and to make their way in, either on foot or in fisher- 
men’s boats ; but some of them may be sent in as spies, or to do 
us harm. I have been having a long talk over it with Colo- 
nel Adair this afternoon, and he quite agrees with me that we 
must reckon on the probability of an attempt to fire the town. 
It would be a terrible blow to us if they succeeded, for the 
loss of our stores would completely cripple us. They would 


THE PAGODA 


135 


naturally choose the occasion of an attack upon our lines for 
the attempt, for in the first place most of the troops will be 
under arms and drawn up outside the town, and in the second 
place the sight of the place on fire would cause much confu- 
sion, would inspirit our assailants, and necessitate a consider- 
able force being withdrawn from the field to fight the fire. If 
the rains continue we need feel no uneasiness whatever, for 
there would be no getting anything to burn ; whereas, in dry 
weather, a man with a torch might light the thatch as fast as 
he could run along, and a whole street would be in a blaze in two 
or three minutes, and if a wind happened to be blowing it might 
make a sweep of the whole place in spite of all our efforts." 

‘‘I see that, sir. I own that I had never given it a thought 
before. ’ ’ 

I shall come up here. Colonel, unless we obtain sure news 
before the time arrives that the attack is going to be a general 
one ; indeed it is in any case the best place to post myself, 
for I can see over the whole country, and send orders to any 
point where the enemy may be making progress, or where our 
men can advance with advantage. The line of fire flashes 
will be as good a guide at night as the smoke by day." 

I will get a cot rigged up for you. General, as we don’t 
know which night it is to be." 

Thank you. Yes, I may just as well turn in, all stand- 
ing, as the sailors say, and get a few hours’ sleep, for in this 
climate one cannot keep at it night and day as we had to do 
in Spain." 

The two aides-de-camp were kept in suspense as to what the 
general’s intentions were, and it was not until the morning of 
Tuesday that he said to them : 

''I am going up to the pagoda this evening, Mr. Tolle- 
mache, and you had better, therefore, put some provisions and 
a bottle of brandy into your holsters." 


136 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


At nine in the evening they rode off. The rain had ceased ; 
the moon was shining through the clouds. 

“It will be down by twelve o’clock,” Tollemache said. 
“ I should think most likely they will wait for that ; they will 
think that we shall not be able to take aim at them in the 
darkness, and that they will manage to get to the foot of the 
hill without loss.” 

When they reached the platform in front of the pagoda, 
their syces took their horses. Meinik had begged Stanley 
to let him take his groom’s place on this occasion, and laying 
aside the dress he ordinarily wore, assumed the light attire of 
an Indian syce, and had run behind the horses with the others. 
He had a strong desire to see the fighting, but his principal 
motive in asking to be allowed to accompany Stanley was 
that, although greatly impressed with what he had seen of the 
drill and discipline of the white and native regiments, he could 
not shake off his faith in the Invulnerables, and had a convic- 
tion that the pagoda would be captured, and therefore wished 
to be at hand to bring up Stanley’s horse at the critical mo- 
ment, and to aid him to escape from the assailants. Fires 
were burning, as usual, at several points on the terrace. Two 
companies were under arms, and were standing well back from 
the edge of the platform so as to be out of sight of those in 
the forest. The rest of the men were sitting round the fires ; 
their muskets were piled in lines hard by. 

When he alighted, the general proceeded to the battery. 

“ Have you everything in readiness. Major? ” he asked the 
officer in command. 

“Yes, sir. The guns are all loaded with grape, and as it 
will be very dark when the moon has set, I have pegged a 
white tape along just under each gun, so that they can be 
trained upon the causeway however dark it may be.” 

“ That is a very good idea,” the general said. “ There is 


THE PAGODA 


137 


nothing more difficult than laying guns accurately in the 
dark.” 

The colonel now arrived, a soldier having brought the 
news to him as soon as the general reached the platform. 

I see that you are well prepared to give them a hot re- 
ception, Colonel.” 

‘ ‘ I hope so, sir. I have a strong patrol out beyond the 
causeway. My orders are, that they are to resist strongly for 
a minute or two, so as to give us time to have the whole of 
our force in readiness here. Then they are to retreat at the 
double to the foot of the hill, and then to open fire again, so 
that we may know that they are out of the way, and that we 
can begin when we like. We have been making some port 
fires this afternoon, and I have a dozen men half-way down 
the hill, and directly the outposts are safely across they are 
to light the port fires, which will enable us to take aim. 
These white tapes will be guide enough for the artillery, but 
my men would make very poor shooting if they could not 
make out the muzzles of their guns. Anyhow I don’t think 
that it is likely that the enemy will get across the causeway 
however numerous they may be.” 

don’t think they will, Colonel. Certainly, so far, they 
have shown themselves contemptible in attack, and have never 
made a successful stand, even for a minute, when we once 
entered their stockades, though they defend them pluckily 
enough until we have once got a footing inside. Still, these 
fellows ought to fight well to-night, for if they are beaten it 
will be a deathblow to their reputation among their country- 
men. Besides, many of them do believe in the power they 
claim, and, as we have found before now in India, fanatics 
are always formidable.” 

After taking a look round with the colonel, the general ac- 
companied him to his quarters, while the two aides-de-camp 


138 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


remained on the terrace chatting with the officers, and then, 
after a time, went with some of them to the mess-tent, where 
they sat smoking and talking until midnight, when all 
went out. The troops were formed up under arms, and all 
listened impatiently for something that would show that the 
long-delayed assault would take place that night. At half-past 
twelve there was the sound of a shot, which sent an electrical 
thrill through the troops. It was followed almost immediately 
by others. The troops were at once marched forward to the 
edge of the platform. A babel of wild shouts went up at the 
sound of the first shots, followed by a burst of firing. 

The two aides-de-camp had taken their places close to the 
general, who was standing in the gap between the infantry 
and the guns, and was looking intently through his night- 
glasses at the forest. 

‘‘They are in a dense mass,” he said; “I cannot see 
whether they are in any regular order, but they are certainly 
packed a great deal closer than I have ever before seen them. 
Those in front have got lanterns. They are coming along 
fast.” 

As yet the enemy were half a mile away, but the lanterns 
and the flash of their guns showed their exact position, while 
the fire of the outposts was kept up steadily. As the latter 
fell back along the causeway the interval between the two 
forces decreased, and then the fire of the outposts ceased as, 
in accordance with their orders, they broke into the double. 
The uproar of the advancing crowd was prodigious. Every 
man was yelling, at the top of his voice, imprecations upon 
the defenders of the pagoda, who were standing in absolute 
silence waiting eagerly for the word of command. Suddenly 
the firing broke out again at the foot of the hill, and imme- 
diately a bright light shot up from its face. The edge of the 
dense mass of Burmese was now but some fifty yards from the 



THE hurmp:se made a (^REAT effort to capture pagoda-hill. 














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THE PAGODA 


139 


wall that surrounded the foot of the hill, and the causeway 
behind was occupied by a solid mass of men. Then came 
the sharp order to the artillerymen, and gun after gun poured 
its charge of grape into the crowd, while at the same moment 
the infantry began to fire by companies in steady volleys. 

For an instant the din of the assailants was silenced, then 
their shouts rose again, and after a moment’s hesitation they 
continued their advance. But not for long ; none but the 
most disciplined soldiers could have advanced under that 
storm of grape and bullets, and in ten minutes they fled in 
wild confusion, leaving the causeway thickly covered with 
the dead. Again and again the British cheers rose loud and 
triumphant, then the infantry were told to fall out, but the 
guns continued their fire until the fugitives were well in 
the forest. Between the shots the general listened attentive- 
ly, and examined the country towards the town through his 
glasses. 

^‘Everything is quiet,” he said. “It is probable that if 
those fellows had carried the hill they would have made a 
signal, and there might have been a general attack. As it is, 
the affair is over for the night, and the Invulnerables will have 
some difficulty in accounting for their failure and loss. Now, 
gentlemen, we may as well have up the horses, and ride back. 
We hardly expected to get away as soon as this.” 

“Well, Meinik, what do you think of your Invulnerables 
now?” Stanley said, as the Burman, after picketing his 
horse, came up to his room to see if he wanted anything before 
lying down on his bed in the passage. 

“I don’t know,” the Burman replied gravely. “They 
may be holy men, and proof perhaps against native weapons, 
but they are no good against your cannon and muskets. I 
understand now how it is that you beat us so easily. Your 
men all stood quiet and in order ; one only heard the voices 


140 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


of the officers, and the crash as they fired together. Then, 
your guns are terrible. I have seen ours firing, but though 
our pieces are smaller than yours, your men fire five shots to 
our one. I stood by while they were loading. It was won- 
derful. Nobody talked, and nobody gave orders ; each man 
knew what he had to do — one did something, and directly an- 
other did something ; and almost before the smoke of the 
last shot was out of the gun, it was ready to be fired again. 
It is clear to me that we have not learnt how to fight, and that 
your way of having only a few men, well taught and knowing 
exactly what they have to do, is better than ours of having 
great numbers, and letting everyone fight as he pleases. It is 
bad every way. The brave men get to the front and are 
killed, and then the others run away. You were right. We 
shall never turn you out of Rangoon till Bandoola comes. 
He has all our best troops with him, and he has never been 
beaten. All the troops know him, and will fight for him as 
they will not fight for these princes, who know nothing of 
war, and are chosen only because they are the king’s broth- 
ers. When he comes, you will see.” 

No doubt we shall, Meinik; and you will see that al- 
though they may make a better fight of it than they have 
done to-night, it will be just the same in the end.” 

For the next two months the time passed slowly. No at- 
tacks were made by the enemy after the defeat of the assault 
upon the pagoda. Peasants and deserters who came in re- 
ported that there was profound depression among the Burmese 
troops. Great numbers had left the colours, and there was no 
talk of another attack. The troops being therefore relieved 
of much of their arduous night duty, the English took the of- 
fensive. The stockades on the Dalla river, and those upon 
the Panlang branch, the principal passage into the main 
stream of the Irrawaddy, were attacked and carried, the 


THE PAGODA 


141 


enemy suffering heavily, and many pieces of artillery being 
captured. 

The rains continued almost unceasingly, and the troops 
suffered terribly in health. Scarce three thousand remained 
fit for duty, and the greater portion of these were so emaci- 
ated and exhausted by the effects of the climate that they 
were altogether unfit for active operations. Three weeks after 
the fight at the pagoda a vessel came up the river with a letter 
from the officer in command of the troops assembled to bar 
the advance of Bandoola against Chittagong, saying that the 
Burmese army had mysteriously disappeared. It had gone off 
at night so quietly and silently that our outposts, which were 
but a short distance from it, heard no sign or movement what- 
ever. The Burmese had taken with them their sick, tents, 
and stores, and nothing but a large quantity of grain had been 
found in their deserted stockades. 

The news was received with satisfaction by the troops. 
There was little doubt that the court of Ava, finding that their 
generals had all failed in making the slightest impression upon 
our lines, and had lost vast numbers of men, had at last 
turned to the leader who had conquered province after prov- 
ince for it, and had sent him orders to march with his whole 
army to bring the struggle to a close. The soldiers rejoiced 
at the thought that they were at last to meet a real Burmese 
army. Hitherto they had generally stood on the defensive, 
and had to fight the climate rather than the foe, and it 
seemed to them that the campaign was likely to be inter- 
minable. 

The march of the Burmese from Ramoo to Sembeughewn, 
the nearest point of the river to the former town, must have 
been a terrible one. The distance was over two hundred 
miles, the rains were ceaseless, and the country covered with 
jungles and marshes, and intersected by rivers. No other 


143 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


army could have accomplished such a feat. The Burmans, 
however, accustomed to the unhealthy climate, lightly clad, 
and carrying no weight save their arms and sixteen days’ sup- 
ply of rice, passed rapidly over it. 

Every man was accustomed to the use of an axe and to the 
formation of rafts, and in an incredibly short time rivers were 
crossed, deep swamps traversed on roads made by closely- 
packed faggots ; and but a few days after hearing that Bandoola 
had started, the general learned from peasants that the news 
had come down that he and a portion of his army had ar- 
rived at Sembeughewn. Almost at the same time other parties 
who travelled down along the coast reached Donabew, a 
town on the Irrawaddy, some forty miles in direct line from 
Rangoon. This had been named as the rendezvous of the 
new army, and to this a considerable proportion of Bandoola’ s 
force made their way direct from Ramoo, it being the cus- 
tom of the Burmese to move, when on a march through a 
country where no opposition was to be looked for, in separate 
detachments, each under its own leader, choosing its own way, 
and making for a general rendezvous. 

Travelling in this manner they performed the journey far 
more rapidly than they could have done moving in one body, 
and could better find shelter and food. Other forces from 
Prome, Tannoo, and other quarters were known to be march- 
ing towards Donabew. It was soon reported that the de- 
jected forces around Rangoon had gained courage and con- 
fidence at the news that Bandoola and his army were coming 
to their aid, and that the deserters were returning in large 
numbers from their villages. The British sick were sent away 
in the shipping to Mergy and Tavoy, two coast towns of 
which we had taken possession, and both of which were health- 
ily situated. 

The change had a marvellous effect, and men who would 


VICTORIES 


143 


have speedily succumbed to the poisonous exhalations of the 
swamps round Rangoon, rapidly regained their strength in 
their new quarters. 


CHAPTER IX 

VICTORIES 

I N the meantime negotiations had been going on with Siam, 
between which state and Burma there was the bitterest en- 
mity. It had been thought that Siam would have willingly 
grasped the opportunity to revenge itself for the many losses 
of territory that it had suffered at the hands of Burma. This 
there was no doubt that it would have been glad to do, but 
our occupation of several points on the coast of Tenasserim 
roused the fears of Siam, and inclined it to the belief that we 
might prove an even more dangerous neighbour than Burma. 
The court of Ava had on its part also sent urgent messages 
to the King of Siam when misfortunes had to some extent low- 
ered its pride, calling upon him to make common cause 
with Burma, and to join it in repelling an enemy who would 
doubtless be as dangerous to him as to Burma. Siam, how- 
ever, determined to steer a middle course. An army was as- 
sembled in readiness for any contingency, but Siam believed 
as little as Burma itself that the British could possibly be vic- 
torious over that power, and feared its vengeance if she were 
to ally herself with us ; while upon the other hand, Siam had 
a long sea coast, and feared the injury our fleet might inflict 
upon it were it to join Burma. The king, therefore, gave 
both powers an assurance of his friendship, and marched his 
army down to the frontier of the province of Martaban, which 


144 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


bordered on the great Salween river on the Tenasserim coast, 
and lay some two hundred miles from Rangoon across the 
gulf of Martaban. The intentions of the king being so doubt- 
ful, the advance of the Siamese army in this direction could 
not be regarded with indifference by the British. The town 
of Martaban was the centre of the Burmese military power in 
Tenasserim, and the advance towards it of the Siamese army 
would place it in direct communication with that of Burma. 
On the 13th of October, therefore, a force, consisting of a 
wing of the 41st Regiment and the 3d Madras Infantry, sailed 
from Rangoon against the town. The expedition was delayed 
by light winds, and when it arrived at the mouth of the river 
found that every preparation had been made for an obstinate 
defence. They learned from a peasant that strong works had 
been erected on every eminence round the town, and that the 
road from the coast had been cut and stockaded. 

Approach by this route was impossible, for there were 
twenty miles of country to be traversed, and much of this was 
under water from the inundations. It was, therefore, deter- 
mined to go up the river, although this was so shallow and 
full of shoals that the navigation was extremely difficult. At 
last, after great labour, incurred by the ships constantly get- 
ting ashore, they succeeded in making their way up to Marta- 
ban, and anchored off the town. A heavy cannonade was car- 
ried on for some time between the ships and the enemy’s 
works, then the troops were embarked in boats, which rowed 
for the shore under a very heavy fire from the enemy. As 
soon as they landed, and advanced to attack the stockades, 
the Burmese lost heart and hastily retreated, while the inhab- 
itants received the troops as they entered with the warmest 
welcome, for they were for the most part natives of Pegu, and 
still entertained a deep hatred for the Burmese because of the 
long oppression that they had suffered at their hands. Through 


VICTORIES 


145 


out the rest of Tenasserim, however, and indeed throughout 
the whole country traversed by the troops later on, the inhab- 
itants appeared to have entirely forgotten their ancient nation- 
ality and the conquest of their country by the Burmans, and 
to have become completely absorbed by them. Throughout 
the whole time that we occupied Martaban the people gave no 
trouble whatever, and indeed offered to raise a force for ser- 
vice with us if we wished it. 

At the end of October the rain ceased, to the intense de- 
light of the troops, and the cold season set in. November 
was, however, an exceptionally deadly month, the occasional 
days of fine weather drawing up the exhalations from the 
swamps, and the number of deaths was greater than they had 
been at any previous time. There was, too, no prospect of a 
forward movement at present. The expedition had come un- 
provided with boats or other means of transport, making sure 
that an abundant supply would be obtained in a country 
where the whole trade was carried on by the rivers. The 
promptness with which the native authorities had, on the first 
appearance of the fleet, sent every boat away, had disap- 
pointed this anticipation, and although the opening of some 
of the other rivers had enabled the local fishermen to bring 
their boats to Rangoon, where fish were eagerly purchased, 
the British troops were still, up to the end of November, 
without the means of sending a hundred men up the river save 
in the boats of the fleet. The Indian authorities, believing 
that when the Burmese found themselves impotent to turn us 
out of Rangoon, the court of Ava would be glad to negotiate, 
had not until the autumn was drawing to a close thought of 
making any preparations to supply the army with water-car- 
riage. They now, however, began to bestir themselves. 

Five hundred boatmen were sent from Chittagong, bring- 
ing many boats down with them, and building others at Ran- 

lO 


146 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


goon. Transports with draft cattle sailed from Bengal, and a 
considerable reinforcement of troops was on its way to join at 
the end of December, for all the natives agreed that no move- 
ment could be made by land until the end of January. In 
November, even Bandoola’s army was obliged to make its ap- 
proach by water. Early in that month it was learned that 
the Burmese general had given orders for the advance, and 
preparations were at once begun to meet what none doubted 
would be a very serious attack. The reinforcements had not 
yet arrived, and the greatly diminished force was far too small 
for the length of the line that had to be defended. Redoubts 
were therefore thrown up, pagodas and other buildings were 
fortified, and two complete lines of works constructed from 
the great pagoda to the city, one facing east and the other 
west. The post at Kemmendine was strengthened, and was 
supported by H. M. sloop Sophie, a company’s cruiser, and 
a strong division of gun-boats. The retention of this post 
was of great importance, as it barred the river approach to 
Rangoon, and prevented the enemy sending down a huge fleet 
of war-galleys and fire-rafts to attack the town and set fire to 
the merchant shipping lying off it. 

In the last week of November, smoke was seen to rise 
from many points in the forest. Many fugitives came in 
from their villages, and reported that Bandoola’s army were 
all on their way down the river, and by the end of the month 
some sixty thousand men, with a large train of artillery and 
a body of cavalry, were assembled round our position. Of 
this force, thirty thousand were armed with muskets. They 
had with them, too, a great number of jingals ; these little 
guns carried ball of from six to twelve ounces, and were 
mounted on a light carriage, which two men could wheel with 
ease; the cannon were carried to the scene of action on 
elephants. The cavalry were seven hundred strong, drawn 


VICTORIES 


147 


from the borders of Manipur. The rest of the army were 
armed with swords and spears, and carried implements for 
stockading and entrenching. The force was accompanied by 
a number of astrologers, and by the Invulnerables, who had 
doubtless satisfactorily explained their failure to capture the 
pagoda. 

A great semicircle of light smoke rising from the trees 
showed that the position taken up by Bandoola extended from 
the river above Kemmendine to the neighbourhood of Ran- 
goon. On the night of the 31st, the troops at the pagoda 
heard a loud and continuous stir in the forest. It gradually 
approached, and by morning great masses of troops had 
gathered at the edge of the jungle within musket-shot of the 
post. The garrison there were drawn up in readiness to 
repel a sudden rush, but just as the sun rose, a din made by 
thousands of men engaged in cutting down the trees began, 
and it was evident that the Burmese were going to adopt 
their usual plan of entrenching themselves behind stockades. 

During the time that had elapsed between the repulse of 
the Invulnerables and the arrival of Bandoola’s army, Stanley’s 
work was light and the life dull and monotonous. An hour 
was spent every morning in examining the fugitives who had, 
by the retreat of the Burmese, been enabled to make their 
way back to the town, and of women who had escaped from 
the vigilance of the Burmese police, and had come in from 
the villages where they had been held as hostages for their 
husbands. 

Once or twice a week he went off with the general to 
the hospital - ship to inquire into the state of the sick and 
to pay a visit to the long line of cots along the main and 
lower deck. Almost every day he rode, in spite of the 
weather, to one or other of the regimental camps, and soon 
came to know most of the officers of the force. His pre- 


148 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


vious experience on the rivers had done much to acclimatise 
him, and his health continued good. On the evening of the 
30th he had, at the general’s order, ridden up to the pagoda. 
It was considered likely that the attack would be delivered 
there in the first place; and at three o’clock in the morn- 
ing, when it became evident that a large body of men were 
approaching through the forest, he galloped back to Rangoon 
with the news, and at five rode out again with Sir A. Camp- 
bell. Among the garrison there was much disappointment 
when the sound of wood-chopping announced that the Bur- 
mese did not intend to attack ; but the general, who had 
been watching the edge of the jungle through his glasses, 
lowered them and put them into their case with an expres- 
sion of satisfaction. 

“I don’t want them to attack. Colonel,” he said. If 
they do, and we beat them off, we are no nearer the end 
than before. That sort of thing might be carried on for 
months, as long, in fact, as there remains a man to bring up. 
What we want is to inflict such a heavy blow upon them 
that even the court at Ava may become convinced that they 
cannot hope to drive us out of Rangoon ; in which case 
they may consent to negotiate, and we may bring the war to 
an end. Heaven knows that we have suffered enough loss at 
present, and I don’t want to have to undertake such a dif- 
ficult operation as an advance against Ava. I am glad to 
see that they have begun to construct stockades. I do not 
intend to interfere until they have completely finished their 
work, and gained sufficient confidence to make a general 
attack on us; then we shall be able to give them a heavy 
lesson. Ah, there they are at work ! ” 

As he spoke a roar of musketry and artillery broke out sud- 
denly from Kemmendine, and all eyes were turned in that 
direction. The spot was two miles distant, but the forest 


VICTORIES 


149 


shut out alike the view of the river and of the works held by 
us. The exact position, however, was indicated by the masts 
of the two war vessels rising above the trees. Soon great 
wreaths of heavy white smoke rose above the forest in and 
around Kemmendine, shutting out all view. The fire con- 
tinued without abatement, and it was evident that the attack 
was a hot and determined one. Confident as all felt that 
the little fort would be able to defend itself successfully, the 
great smoke clouds were watched with some feeling of anx- 
iety, for the garrison was, after all, but a handful. In mo- 
mentary intervals of the firing the yells and shouts of the na- 
tives could be distinctly heard, and once or twice, after a heavy 
broadside from the ships of war, the cheers of the British 
sailors could be plainly recognized. After two hours’ fighting 
the din gradually ceased ; the clouds of smoke rolled away, 
and the masts of the ships became visible, and the garrison of 
the pagoda raised three hearty cheers to tell the defenders that 
their successful defence had been watched and welcomed. 

Presently some heavy columns of the enemy issued from the 
forest on the other side of the river and marched across the 
plain to Dalla, which faced Rangoon. They moved with 
great regularity and order, led by their chiefs on horseback, 
their gilded umbrellas glittering in the rays of the sun. On 
reaching the bank of the river opposite Rangoon they began 
entrenching themselves and throwing up stockades and bat- 
teries with the evident intention of opening fire on the ship- 
ping. Soon afterwards large bodies of men issued from the 
forest facing the pagoda, and marching along a slight ridge 
that extended from that point to the creek below Rangoon, 
took up their position there, and began entrenching them- 
selves all along the line. Thus the British position was now 
completely surrounded ; there was, however, no doubt that 
the main body of the enemy was still facing the pagoda. 


150 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


‘‘We must see what they are doing,” the general said. 
“This is too important a point for us to allow them to erect a 
strongly fortified position close at hand.” 

Accordingly, Tollemache was sent down with an order to 
the 1 8th Madras Infantry, supported by a detachment of the 
13th Regiment under Major Sale, to advance against the 
enemy in the jungle. The movements of this force were 
eagerly watched from the terrace of the pagoda. At a rapid 
pace they crossed the intervening ground, and a rattle of 
musketry broke out from the jungle as they approached. The 
British made no response, but charged with a cheer and were 
soon lost to sight in the trees. Their regular volleys could be 
heard at short intervals above the scattered rattle of the Bur- 
mese musketeers, and their cheers frequently rose loud and 
triumphant. In half an hour the red line emerged again from 
the jungle, having destroyed the stockades the Burmese had 
erected, captured several guns, a quantity of muskets and en- 
trenching tools thrown away by the Burmese, and killed a 
large number of the enemy. 

During the day the enemy made repeated efforts to send 
fire-rafts down the river from above Kemmendine. These 
rafts were constructed of bamboos, upon which were placed 
great numbers of earthenware pots filled with petroleum. 
These rafts were skilfully constructed, and made in sections, 
so that when they drifted against an anchor-chain they would 
divide, those on each side swinging round, so as to envelop 
the ship on both sides with fire. The sailors from the sloops 
and gun-boats rowed up to meet the rafts, and although a 
heavy fire was kept up by the enemy from the jungles lining 
the banks, they succeeded in towing most of them safely to 
shore, while the rest grounded on a projecting spit off Kem- 
mendine. 

So diligently did the Burmese work at all points through- 


VICTORIES 


151 


out the day that by the afternoon their whole line of cir- 
cumvallation was covered with earth-works, behind which 
they lay entirely hidden from sight. 

“If they could fight as well as they dig and build stock- 
ades,” Sir A. Campbell remarked, “ they would be one of 
the most formidable enemies in the world. No European 
army ever accomplished the work of entrenching themselves 
so speedily as they have done. Their arrangements have 
been admirable ; everything has been done without confusion, 
and each body has taken up the position allotted to it, as is 
evident by the fact that there is no gap in their lines. As to 
Bandoola’s tactics, I cannot say so much for them. In the 
first place, he has divided his force into two parts, separated 
by a river, and incapable of helping each other. In the next 
place, great as are his numbers, his lines are far too extended. 
Well, we will let them go on for a time, and then show 
them the mistake that they have committed.” 

Major Sale’s reports of the entrenchments were, that they 
consisted of a long line of holes, each capable of containing 
two men. The earth was dug out on one side so as to form 
a sort of cave. In this was a bed of straw or brushwood, on 
which one man could sleep while the other watched. Each 
hole contained a sufficient supply of rice, water, and even fuel 
for its inmates. One line of these holes had been completed 
and another was being dug a short distance in advance. The 
Burmese do not relieve their men in the trenches ; those who 
occupy the line first made remain there; fresh men dig and 
occupy the next line, and so the advance is continued until 
close to the work to be attacked. The system has the great 
advantage that a shell falling into one of these holes only kills 
its two occupants instead of destroying many, as it might do 
if it fell in a continuous trench. 

In the afternoon the general returned to Rangoon, leaving 


152 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


Stanley at the pagoda with orders to ride down should there 
be any change of importance. In the evening a considerable 
force of Burmese issued from the jungle and prepared to en- 
trench themselves near the north-east angle of the pagoda hill. 
Major Piper therefore took two companies of the 38th, and, 
descending the hill, drove the Burmese in confusion back to 
the jungle. 

In the morning it was found that the enemy had en- 
trenched themselves upon some high and open ground, within 
musket - shot of the north gate of the pagoda. It was 
separated from the gate by a large tank, but as their jingals 
and musketry were able from the point they occupied to 
sweep the plateau and the huts occupied by the troops, a 
party of the 38th and the 28th Madras Infantry went out and 
drove them off. As soon, however, as our troops fell back 
the Burmese reoccupied the position, and for the next few 
days a constant skirmishing went on at this point, while an 
artillery fire was maintained by the assailants and defenders 
along the whole line down to Rangoon, and the enemy’s bat- 
teries at Dalla kept up an incessant fire on the shipping. 
Kemmendine was attacked time after time, and many attempts 
made to launch fire-rafts down the river. 

The work was very harassing for the troops. Night and 
day they were expecting an attack in force, and there was 
a general feeling of delight when, on the evening of the 4th, 
orders were issued for a general movement against the enemy. 

The latter had by this time brought the greater portion of 
their guns up from the jungle, and placed them in their en- 
trenchments, and it was therefore in the power of the British 
to strike a heavy blow. A division of the flotilla of gun- 
boats was ordered up the creek by the town. These opened 
a heavy fire upon the enemy’s flank, thus attracting their 
attention to that point, and after the cannonade had con- 


VICTORIES 


153 


tinned for some little time the two columns of attack, the one 
eight hundred strong, under Major Sale, the other five hun- 
dred, under Major Walker of the Madras army, issued out. 
The latter was to attack the enemy facing the town, the for- 
mer to force his way through the centre of their position. 
He had with him a troop of horse that had landed only the 
previous day. Major Walker’s force was the first to en- 
counter the enemy. Their resistance was for a time obstinate. 
Major Walker and several other officers fell in the attack on 
the first line of entrenchments, but the soldiers carried it at 
the point of the bayonet, and as the enemy broke and re- 
treated, followed them so hotly that the works in the rear fell 
into their hands with but slight opposition. 

Major Sale’s column now began its attack on the enemy’s 
centre. Here the resistance was more feeble, and, bursting 
through the enemy’s lines, the British drove them before 
them in headlong flight. Then, turning, they swept along 
the line of entrenchments, carrying all before them until 
they effected a junction with the other column, which was 
advancing to meet them. They then drove the Burmese 
from every part of their works into the jungle, leaving the 
ground behind them covered with dead and wounded. 
Except at the point first attacked by Major Walker, the 
resistance of the Burmese was very feeble, and the British 
loss inconsiderable, and a large number of guns, entrench- 
ing tools, and muskets fell into the hands of the victors. 
The next day Bandoola rallied the troops that had been 
driven from the plain, and gathered the greatest part of his 
force in the forest round the pagoda, where they continued 
to push forward their works with unabated energy. 

The British had a day of rest given them, and on the 
7th prepared to attack the enemy at this point. Four 
columns of attack were formed, composed of detachments 


154 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


drawn from all the corps of the army. In the morning a 
heavy cannonade was opened upon the jungle, the artillery 
being assisted by several heavy guns, which had with great 
labour been brought up by the sailors from the ships to the 
pagoda. The enemy returned it with a steady fire of light 
artillery, jingals, and musketry. While the firing was still 
going on the four columns were already in motion ; one had 
entered the jungle on the enemy’s left, and another on the 
right. One of the central columns advanced from the foot 
■of the pagoda hill, while the 38th Regiment descended the 
stairs from the north gate, and advanced, one wing on each 
side of the tank, against the enemy’s entrenchments on the 
high ground. As the four columns approached the enemy 
our artillery fire ceased. The Burmese appeared for a 
moment bewildered at the sight of their foes advancing 
against them from so many directions,, but they soon opened 
a very heavy fire upon the assailants, and kept it up with 
undiminished steadiness until our troops, advancing at the 
charge, dashed into their entrenchments, and drove them 
headlong before them into the thick forest behind, where 
pursuit, which would at any time have been difficult, was 
now impossible, the troops, exhausted by their seven days’ 
and nights’ watching, being wholly incapable of following 
their active and lightly-armed enemies. 

There now remained but the force at Dalla to cope with, 
and in the evening a force composed of the 89th and 43d 
Madras Infantry, under Colonel Parlby, embarked in boats. 
The night was dark, and the troops crossed unobserved. 
The alarm was not given until the British actually entered 
the entrenchments and opened fire upon the enemy, who 
were sitting, unsuspicious of danger, round their fires. 
Scarcely any opposition was encountered, and the whole 
of the works, with the guns and the stores, were soon in 


VICTORIES 


155 


our hands, while the enemy were flying towards the forest. 
In the actions during these three days the Burmese lost 
some 5000 men, 240 pieces of artillery of every kind, 
and a great number of muskets, and vast supplies of am- 
munition, while the British had but 50 killed and 300 
wounded. 

Great numbers of Bandoola’s men never rejoined the 
army, and the whole force was dispersed through the coun- 
try. Bandoola himself was retiring towards Donabew with 
but a remnant of his army when he met considerable rein- 
forcements on their way to join him. During his operations 
he had left a reserve corps at the village of Kokein, four 
miles from the pagoda, and these had been busily entrench- 
ing the position, which commanded the road leading from 
Rangoon to Donabew. The ground was elevated, and on his 
arrival there Bandoola set his troops, now some 25,000 in 
number, to aid in the work.' In a marvellously short time 
the heights were completely stockaded with trunks of trees, 
and with a broad, deep ditch in front. Beyond this were 
lines of felled trees, their heads pointing outwards and each 
branch sharpened, forming a very formidable abattis, and, 
believing this to be impregnable, Bandoola awaited the 
attack of the British. 

As soon as his army had been dispersed great numbers 
of deserters and of the inhabitants of the villages poured 
into Rangoon. With the deserters were mingled a good 
many of the troops sent in by Bandoola himself with in- 
structions to fire the town. In order to lull the suspicions 
of the British he caused a report to be spread that an im- 
perial commissioner from the court of Ava would arrive in 
the course of a few days to treat for terms of peace. 

The general, however, determined to attack Bandoola 
before the commissioner could arrive, as it was evident 


156 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


that better terms could be obtained after the total disper- 
sion of the Burmese, than if their famous general remained, 
with 25,000 men, in a formidable position close at hand. 
He was uneasy at the presence of so large a number of 
natives in the town, and the precautions that had been 
taken against fire some time before were now redoubled. 
Were one to break out not only might the whole of the 
stores collected for the advance of the army be destroyed, 
but if Bandoola had his force gathered in readiness at the 
edge of the jungle, he might take advantage of the con- 
fusion that would be caused by the fire, and rush forward 
to the attack of the town. Numbers of troops and of sailors 
from the fleet patrolled the streets in every direction at 
night, but, in spite of their efforts, a week after the retreat 
of Bandoola the dreaded cry of fire was raised. 

At a dozen points on the windward side of the town fires 
had been lighted by incendiaries, and as there was a brisk 
wind blowing the danger was extreme. The drums beat to 
arms along the whole of the British lines. Orders had 
already been issued as to what was to be done in such an 
emergency, and while a portion of the troops lined the 
trenches, the rest were marched at once to the town and 
formed up between it and the jungle to repel any attack 
that might be made there, leaving the troops quartered 
in the town, and the sailors of the fleet to battle with 
the flames. For a time it seemed as if the whole place 
would be swept away, but by levelling lines of huts and 
beating out the flames at the barrier so formed, their prog- 
ress was at length checked, but not until more than half 
the town had been destroyed. Fortunately this was the 
half farthest from the river, and with the exception of the 
commissariat stores for the supply of the troops of the 
Madras Presidency, the buildings containing the food, am- 


VICTORIES 


157 


munition, and necessaries for the army escaped unharmed. 
What had happened once might, however, happen again in 
spite of all precautions. The general therefore determined to 
attack Bandoola at once, as, were his force once scattered, 
the motive for these incendiary fires would cease to operate. 

The difficulties were formidable. One or two light field 
pieces could at the most be taken with the column. They 
would have to march by a narrow and winding footpath 
through a thick forest, exposed at any moment to a desperate 
attack by the enemy. Moreover, it would be necessary to 
leave a strong force for the defence of Rangoon, as Bandoola 
would be sure to learn from his spies of the intended move- 
ment, and having with him men intimately acquainted with 
every forest track, could make a rush down upon the town 
during the absence of so many of its defenders. 

The general felt it imperative, however, to attack without 
delay, and early on the morning of the 15th he moved out 
with a force of 1500 men against Kokein. They marched 
without molestation through the forest, and on reaching its 
confines could see the truly formidable nature of the works 
that they were to attack. 

The moment they issued from the forest a dropping fire 
was opened upon them by parties of the enemy in flank and 
rear, and no time was lost in preparing for the assault. 

The 13th Light Infantry and the i8th Madras with 60 cav- 
alry, under Brigadier-General Cotton, were ordered to move 
round the stockade and as.sault it on the left rear, while the 
rest of the troops, some 800 strong, with 100 cavalry under the 
general himself, were to attack in front. The enemy’s works 
consisted of a central entrenchment connected with two large 
entrenched stockades on its flank, but somewhat advanced in 
front of it. As soon as the force under General Cotton had 
gained its position in the rear of the enemy, a gun was fired, 


158 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


and the whole force moved forward to the assault. The Bur- 
mans regarded the attack by so insignificant a force upon their 
works with such contempt that they did not for some time fire 
a shot, but continued chanting a war-song, swaying them- 
selves to its cadence, stamping and beating time with their 
hands on their breasts. This delay proved fatal to them. 
When they opened fire their assailants were already close to the 
ditch, and leaping down into this were sheltered from the fire 
of the defenders. Scaling-ladders were speedily placed, and 
the troops running up them, leaped down into the entrench- 
ment. 

Astounded at this sudden entry into the works they had 
deemed impregnable, the Burmese hesitated; and the assail- 
ants being joined by their comrades from behind, rushed im- 
petuously upon the enemy. The column in the rear had 
greater difficulty, for they had several strong stockades to 
carry before they reached the central work, and lost four offi- 
cers, and eight men killed, and forty-nine officers and men 
wounded, in the 13th Regiment alone. Fifteen minutes after 
the first shot was fired the whole of the works were in our pos- 
session, and the Burmese, who gathered in a confused mass, 
had been decimated by our volleys. They were now in full 
flight, many being cut down by the cavalry before they reached 
the shelter of the woods. The British troops marched back 
to Rangoon, while the Burmese retreated to Donabew, leav- 
ing strong posts on the two rivers leading in that direction. 

Their retirement left it free to the country people to return 
to Rangoon, and very large numbers came in, including very 
many of the villagers who had been forced to fight against us. 
All had alike suffered from famine and hardship, even the 
women had been compelled to labour in the work of stockad- 
ing, and the sufferings of all had been terrible. The work of 
rebuilding the town began at once, and the wooden huts sprang 


VICTORIES 


159 


np with great rapidity ; markets were opened, and in a short 
time supplies of fish, fruit, game, and vegetables poured in, 
sufficient not only for the native population, but to effect a 
most welcome change in the diet, of the troops. As most of 
the natives were accustomed to the construction and manage- 
ment of boats, the work of preparing the flotilla, by which the 
troops were to proceed up the rivers, went on rapidly, and 
numbers of men were- hired as servants and drivers for the 
commissariat, with which the force was very insufficiently sup- 
plied, as the natives of India of that class for the most part 
refused, on account of their caste prejudices, to engage them- 
selves for service across the sea. Reinforcements arrived, and 
Rangoon, which but six weeks before presented a miserable 
and deserted appearance, was towards the beginning of Janu- 
ary a cheerful and bustling town. 

Preparations were being made in other quarters to assume 
the offensive. Some 3000 men were driving the Burmese out 
of Assam, and a force 7000 strong was marching from Sylhet 
to expel them from Cacharand capture Manipur, while 11,000 
men were assemlfied at Chittagong, and were advancing into 
Aracan with the intention of driving the Burmese from that 
province, and they meant if possible to cross the mountains 
and effect a junction with Sir Archibald Campbell’s force. The 
first part of the operations were conducted with complete suc- 
cess, and Aracan wrested from Burma, but it was found im- 
possible to perform the terrible journey across mountain and 
swamp or to afford any aid to the main expedition. 


160 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


CHAPTER X 


THE ADVANCE 


HILE the preparations for the advance were being made, 



VV the general’s aides-de-camp had been kept at work from 
morning until night. There were constant communications 
between the military and naval authorities, for the expedition 
was to be a mixed one. Transports were daily arriving with 
troops ands tores, innumerable matters connected with the 
organization, both of the land and water transport required 
to be arranged, and the general himself was indefatigable in 
superintending every detail of the work. It had been settled 
that the advance could not take place until the second week 
in February, as the roads would be impassable until that time, 
and the 1 1 th was fixed for the commencement of operations. 

Upon the day after his arrival at Rangoon, Stanley had 
written a letter to his uncle, giving him a brief account of his 
adventures, and stating that he had been appointed one of the 
general’s aides-de-camp. He said that he should of course be 
guided by his uncle’s wishes, but that now that he had entered 
on the campaign as an officer, he should certainly like to re- 
main till the end, when he would at once resign his commis- 
sion and rejoin him. 

He sent this to his uncle’s agent at Calcutta, but received 
no answer until the end of December. After expressing his 
delight at hearing that Stanley had not, as he had supposed, 
been killed at Ramoo, but was now safe and well in the Brit- 
ish camp, he went on : 

I only received your letter this morning, for I have been 
moving about from point to point, and owing to the falling 


THE ADVANCE 


161 


/ 


off of trade, had no occasion to go to Calcutta until now, and 
was indeed astounded at finding your letter lying for me here, 
as they had not forwarded it, having no idea where I was, 
and knowing that the chance of any letter sent on reaching 
me was extremely small. By all means, lad, stop where you 
are; trade is improving again, for now that Bandoola’s army 
has marched away from Ramoo, the scare among the natives 
has pretty well subsided. Still, I can manage very well with- 
out you, and it will certainly be a great advantage to you to 
serve for a year in the army ; and to have been one of Camp- 
bell’s aides-de-camp will be a feather in your cap, and will 
give you a good position at all the military stations. I am 
very glad now that I abstained from writing to your mother 
after the battle at Ramoo. I thought it over and over, and 
concluded that it was just as well to leave the matter alone 
for a time ; not that I had the slightest idea, or even a hope, 
that you were alive, but because I thought that the cessation 
of letters from you would to some extent prepare her mind for 
the blow when it came. 

It would be very improbable that she would see the ga- 
zette with the list of killed and wounded at Ramoo, and even 
if she did so, she would not associate the death of Ensign 
Brooke in any way with you. When we have been trading 
up country, there have been, once or twice, no means of 
sending off a letter for a couple of months, and therefore she 
could not have begun to feel seriously anxious about you be- 
fore she received your letter from Rangoon. 

“ Everyone says that you will not be able to advance until 
February, so that no doubt this letter will reach you long be- 
fore you leave. I hear the losses have been very heavy from 
fever, but I am not anxious about you on that score, for I 
think that you are thoroughly acclimatised. I am trying to 
get a contract for the supply of a couple of thousand bullocks 


IX 


162 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


for the use of the army, and as I know all the country so 
well, from Chittagong to Sylhet, and can buy below Indian 
prices, I think that I shall not only get the contract, but 
make a very good thing of it, and it may lead to other 
matters. ’ ’ 

After this, Stanley was hardly surprised when in the last 
week of January his uncle walked into his quarters. After 
the first pleasure of meeting was over, Stanley said : 

I suppose you have got the contract, uncle? ” 

I have, lad. I have come down from Ramgur with six 
dhows packed full. I have brought a thousand head down, 
and directly I land them am going back for the remainder, 
which will be ready for me by the time I get there. I have 
got hold of an uncommonly good fellow. He was established 
as a small trader at Chittagong. His business was ruined 
there, and he was glad to accept my offer of a berth, and he 
has turned out a very energetic and pushing fellow ; he will 
come down with the next consignment. I myself am going 
to work my way up along the edge of the Tipperah forest, 
and shall pick up another thousand head by the time that I 
get to the Goomtee, and shall send them by water up to Syl- 
het, and then go up by land, picking up more on the way. 
I have a contract for five thousand, to be sent in, a thousand 
a month, for the force that is to move against Manipur, while 
Johnson is to send another two thousand down here, so you 
see for the present the store business can wait. It is a good 
line that I have got into ; I shall make a big profit out of it, 
and have hopes that it will be to some extent permanent, for 
I can get the cattle so cheap in the interior, on the rivers we 
know, that I can ship them to Calcutta at lower terms than 
they can buy them in India, and I was as much as told that if I 
carried out my present contracts satisfactorily I should get the 


THE ADVANCE 


163 


supply of the troops there. Of course, that would not be a 
very great thing of itself, but as I could work it without 
trouble in connection with my own business, it would make a 
handsome addition to the profits.” 

“ But how about money, uncle? ” 

“That is all right, lad. I had no difficulty whatever in 
getting an advance at Calcutta on the strength of my contract 
and upon the guarantee of my agents, so that I am all right 
in that respect.” 

“ I asked, uncle, because I can let you have eighteen hun- 
dred pounds if you want them.” 

Tom Pearson looked at him in astonishment. 

“ Why, w'hat on earth have you been doing — robbing the 
treasury of the King of Ava ? ’ ’ 

“ No, uncle. I had a bag of gems given me by some Bur- 
mese bandits. When I got down here I took a few of them 
to a merchant. He advanced fifteen hundred rupees on them, 
and sent them to Burragee, the jeweller at Madras, and six 
weeks afterw^ards he paid me another three thousand five hun- 
dred. I sent up another batch, and last week I got an order 
from the jewellers for fifteen hundred pounds, so that I have 
more than eighteen hundred in hand now, and I don’t think 
that I have sent more than a third of the gems away. ’ ’ 

“Well, that is a piece of luck, Stanley! Why on earth 
did the brigands give you the gems? ” 

“ Well, uncle, they are things that, from what they told 
me, there is great difficulty and risk in trying to dispose of. 
They are a royal monopoly, and nobody dare buy them ; or 
if they do will give next to nothing for them, because of the 
risk of the transaction, and because they know that the ven- 
dors are in a fix and must sell. Besides, there is a strong 
chance of their handing over anyone who offers such things 
to the authorities. That was one reason why they gave them 


164 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


to me. Then, too, they had made a good haul of merchan- 
dise which was to them a great deal more valuable, as there 
was no difficulty in disposing of it. Lastly, they had taken 
a fancy to me because I saved one of their comrade’s lives 
— the man who showed you up here. ’ ’ 

Well, lad, you shall tell me all about it this evening. I 
must be going down to the commissariat yard to arrange the 
landing of my beasts. I came straight to see you directly I 
landed. We dropped anchor here at daybreak.” 

“ I will go with you, uncle. I will run in and see the 
chief first and get leave off for the day. I have earned a 
holiday, for I have been at work pretty well morning, noon, 
and night for the last two months. You see I have not only 
the duties of aide-de-camp, but of interpreter, and have 
helped both the quartermaster’s department and the com- 
missariat in making their arrangements with the natives. I 
daresay I shall be able to help to hurry your business on 
quicker than you would be able to get it done alone.” 

The general at once granted Stanley leave, and he went 
with his uncle down to the commissariat office and introduced 
him to the senior officer. 

^‘We shall be glad to do all in our power to help you, 
Mr. Pearson,” the officer said. ‘‘We have been expecting 
your arrival for the last week. Of course, we heard from 
Calcutta that you had the contract for two thousand head ; 
at least half of these were to be delivered by the tenth of 
February. We were getting rather anxious about it. The 
force will probably want to start before that time, and we 
shall have to victual both the land and water columns. Of 
course, I did not know that you were a relation of Mr. 
Brooke, or I should have mentioned to him that you were 
likely to come.” 

“ I should like to get off as soon as possible,” Tom Pear- 


THE ADVANCE 


165 


son said ; “for by the time that I get back to Ramgur the 
rest of the cattle will be in readiness for me. ’ ’ 

“ I will write you an order for four large boats at once. 
If you had come three weeks sooner you might have been 
kept waiting some days ; but such a number of native craft 
have of late come down the rivers that we are enabled to get 
sufficient for our work.” 

The officer gave him a note to the one in charge of the 
landing arrangements. 

“It is lucky that you have come just at this moment,” 
the latter said. “ We have just made our last trip with the 
baggage of the 47th, and I have six boats disengaged. You 
may as well take them all.” 

The craft in question were some of those that had been 
captured — unwieldy craft, that took fish and salt up the 
river. They were almost as large as the dhows in which 
the cattle had been brought down, but drew very much 
less water. They were towed off to the dhows, one by one, 
by two captured war -canoes, each having thirty rowers. 
One was taken to each dhow, and the work of transhipping 
the cattle began at once. These were in good condition, 
for although closely packed they had been well supplied with 
food and water on the way down, and a herdsman with four 
men under him had been sent in each boat to take care 
of them, as Tom Pearson was very anxious that his first 
consignment should be reported upon favourably. The ani- 
mals were all landed in the course of the afternoon, and with 
the acknowledgment of their receipt in excellent order, in his 
pocket, the contractor went off again with Stanley to his 
own dhow. 

“ I have told them to have everything in readiness to 
drop down the river with the tide to-morrow morning. It 
will turn just about sunrise. That is a rare bit of busi- 


166 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


ness, Stanley ; and I doubt if a contractor ever got his work 
through so quickly before. Of course it is principally due 
to you; they would never have pushed things through so 
quickly had you not gone with me. I thought that very 
likely I might be detained here a week before I could get 
all the cattle on shore — and by that time, if all goes well, 

I shall be at Ramgur again. Now we can have a comfortable 
evening’s talk, which is very much better than my going to 
dine with you at mess, for there is a great deal to hear about, 
and I daresay that I can give you as good a dinner as we 
should have had on shore.” 

A good deal better,” Stanley said. ‘‘Things have im- 
proved immensely during the last month, still our mess cook 
is certainly not so good as your man ; and, at any rate, the 
quiet of your cabin makes a very pleasant change after al- 
ways sitting down with a large party.” 

After dinner was over, Stanley gave a full account of his 
adventures from the time that he was taken prisoner. 

“You have done wonderfully well for yourself, lad, wonder- 
fully well. Certainly when you picked up Burmese from my 
man we had no idea that it was ever likely to turn out so use- 
ful. I thought that it would have been an assistance among 
the Mugs on the coast, and I had, too, some idea that the 
war might lead to the opening of a trade up the Irrawaddy ; 
but it has turned out infinitely more useful than that. If you 
could not have spoken Burmese Bandoola would never have 
thought of asking for you to be spared as an interpreter, and 
if he had not done so you would have had your head chopped 
off at Ava. Of course that leopard business was the turning- 
point of your fortunes ; but, though it has turned out so well, 
I must say that I hardly think that you were justified in risk- 
ing your life in such a desperate act for a native, who might, 
for aught you know, be already dead. Of course, it was a 


THE ADVANCE 


167 


most gallant action , but the betting was ten to one against 
your succeeding. However, as it turned out, it was a fortu- 
nate business altogether. I don’t say that you might not 
have made your way down to Rangoon unaided, but the odds 
would have been very heavily against it. However, these 
rubies were a windfall indeed.” 

“ Will you take the rest of them, uncle, and sell them at 
Calcutta — or shall I send them to Madras, or home to Eng- 
land ? ” 

‘ ‘ I will take them with me to Calcutta if you like, Stanley. 
I don’t say that there are better men there than the one you 
sent to at Madras, but I think some of them do a larger busi- 
ness up country with the native princes, who don’t care what 
they give for good gems. At any rate I will take them there 
and get them valued by an expert, and then try two or three of 
the leading firms and get their offers. If these are as high as 
the value put on them by the expert, I would send them to 
England through my agents, who would do the best they could 
for you.” 

‘‘ For us, uncle. Of course it is all in the partnership 
business. You have just got some contracts that will pay 
well, and while you have been doing that I have been get- 
ting hold of these rubies.” 

‘‘I don’t think that that is fair, Stanley,” his uncle said 
gravely. 

‘‘It seems to me perfectly fair ; and, besides, the money 
put into the business will make a lot of difference, and will 
certainly pay me a great deal better than it would in any 
other way. I sent home ;^ioo for my mother directly the 
money came from Calcutta, and told her that I hoped to be 
able to send home at least as much every year.” 

“A good deal more, lad, if you like. I calculate these 
contracts that I have got will bring in a pound a head, so 


168 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


that by the time that the war is over I hope to have cleared 
^8000, which will be about what you will make by your 
rubies, and when trade begins again we shall be in a position 
to do it on a big scale ; but I still think that it will not be 
fair to take that money.” 

“ Well, uncle, if you won’t take it I certainly won’t have 
anything to do with the money that you make while I am 
away, so please don’t let us say anything more about it. 
Shall I give you that eighteen hundred now, or will you have 
an order upon the paymaster in Calcutta ? ’ ’ 

That would be the best way, if you will have it so, lad. 
I have left money with Johnson at Ramgur for the next herd 
that is to come down here, and have orders from my agent on 
their agents at Dalla for those that I am going to buy for the 
Manipur column, so I don’t want the money now, and sup- 
pose the dhow were to be lost going up, the cash might go 
with it. So do you get the order ; you had better send it 
straight to Bothron, and tell him to collect it and credit it to 
my account. How long do you think that this business is 
going to last ? ’ ’ 

“It depends how far we have to go before the Burmese 
decide that they have had enough of it. At present the gen- 
eral hope is that as soon as we arrive at Prome they will give 
in ; if they don’t we may have to go up to Ava, and in that 
case we may not finish it until this time next year, for I sup- 
pose operations will have to come to a stop when the wet 
season begins again, and we could hardly reach Ava before 
that.” 

“ I expect some day we shall have to take the whole coun- 
try, Stanley. You may frighten the court into submission 
when you approach the capital, but I fancy they will never 
keep to the terms that we shall insist upon, and that there will 
have to be another expedition. That is generally our way — 


THE ADVANCE 


169 


it was so at Mysore, it has been so in a dozen other places; 
when we have done all the work and have got them at our 
mercy we give them comparatively easy terms. As soon as 
they recover from the effects of their defeat they set to work 
again to prepare for another tussle, and then we have all the 
expense and loss of life to incur again, and then end by an- 
nexing their territory, which we might just as well have done 
in the first place. It may be all very well to be lenient when 
one is dealing with a European enemy, but magnanimity does 
not pay when you have to do with Orientals, who don’t care 
a rap for treaty engagements, and who always regard conces- 
sions as being simply a proof of weakness. There would not 
be half the difficulty in annexing Burma that there would be 
in the case of a large province in India, for all the towns, and 
most even of their villages, lie on rivers, and a couple of 
dozen gun-boats would suffice to keep the whole country in 
order. You will see that that is what we shall have to do 
some day, but it will cost us two or three expeditions to do 
what might just as well be done now. ’ ’ 

“ Well, uncle, it is nearly twelve o’clock, and as I shall be 
on duty at six, I think I had better be going. I wish that 
you could have stayed for another two or three days, and paid 
a visit to the pagoda and camps. I am very glad that I have 
had a sight of you again, though it’s a very short one.” 

I should be glad to stay another day or two, Stanley, but 
it is really of importance for me to get down to Ramgur 
as soon as I can, and send Johnson off with the cattle, for 
I want to set about buying the herds for the other column 
as quickly as possible. I think I have left myself a fair 
margin of time, but there is nothing like promptitude in de- 
livery, and I want to get a good name, for future business ; 
and if this affair here is going to last another twelvemonth, 
regular supplies must be sent up, for as beef is forbidden by 


170 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


the Burmese religion, they keep no cattle except for draught 
purposes, and the army must get their bullocks by sea. ’ ’ 

Five minutes later Stanley was rowed ashore. The next 
morning he accompanied the general, and went down to in- 
spect the newly-arrived cattle. 

They are a capital lot,” he said to Stanley ; decidedly 
the best that we have had yet. You see it is a good deal 
shorter voyage from Ramgur than from either Calcutta or 
Madras, and the animals probably had a much shorter land 
journey before they were shipped. Then, too, as your uncle 
came down himself, they were no doubt much better looked 
after than usual on the voyage. However, I will take care 
to mention when I write next to Calcutta that the cattle are 
far above the average, and I shall be glad if they will arrange 
for such further supplies as we may require, from the same 
source. ’ ’ 

Thank you, sir; that will be a great help to my uncle. 
Hitherto he has had very up-hill work of it, though he was 
beginning to get on very well when the war put a stop to 
trade ; he knows the whole country so thoroughly that he can 
certainly buy up cattle at many places where no European 
trader save himself has ever penetrated.” 

“No doubt, Brooke; and I hope for your sake that he 
will succeed well in this contracting business. He has cer- 
tainly made an excellent start, and as he is first in the field 
in the country between Assam and Ramgur he ought to make 
a good thing of this opportunity that has fallen in his way. 
I know that it takes a long time to build up a business, but 
when the foundation is laid, and a man is quick in taking ad- 
vantage of an opportunity, he can do as much in a year as he 
might do in twenty without it. Now, I am going over to the 
lines of the 47th, to see how they have shaken down into 
them.” 


THE ADVANCE 


171 


This regiment had brought out tents, for, as every build- 
ing was already occupied, it was necessary that they should 
be put under canvas. The general found that everything was 
arranged in order, and the encampment certainly presented a 
pleasing contrast to the irregular and often crowded quarters 
of the troops who had passed the wet season there. The 
colonel and three of his officers dined with the general that 
evening, the party being made up of the military staff, includ- 
ing the two aides-de-camp. Two days later, Stanley, with 
some of the other members of the staff, dined at the 47 th 
mess. Stanley was introduced to several of the officers, and 
these were specially desirous of making his acquaintance, as 
they had learned that he had been a prisoner at Ava, and 
could therefore tell them much more than they had hitherto 
learned of the country into which they were about to advance. 
Among them was a young lieutenant, also of the name of 
Brooke. Stanley had three weeks before attained the same 
rank ; at the time that he was appointed to the 83d there 
were already several death vacancies in the regiment, and dis- 
ease and fighting had carried off six more officers ; the whole 
of the ensigns had consequently obtained their step. At din- 
ner he found himself placed next to his namesake. 

It is curious our having the same name,” the other re- 
marked as he sat down. It is not a very common one.” 

No, I have not met anyone of the same name before,” 
Stanley said. Indeed, until the affair at Ramoo I was 
nearly three years trading with an uncle of mine up the 
rivers, and was not much in the way of falling in with white 
men. But, before that, I had been with my father in a good 
many stations in India, but I do not, as far as I can remem- 
ber, recollect meeting anyone of the same name. ’ ’ 

Then your father was in the service too ? ” 

Yes. He was a captain in the 15th Native Infantry.” 


172 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


“ Indeed,” the other said in surprise. “ Then we are con- 
nections. But I had no idea that Captain Brooke was ever 
married.” 

“ He was married just after he came out to India,” Stan- 
ley said ; ‘ ‘ so it is likely enough that you would never have 
heard of it. He died three years ago, and my mother and 
sisters are now in England. What is the connection between 
us ? I have never heard my father speak much of his family.” 

Your father was a cousin of mine — second cousin, I 
think. I fancy there was some row between your grandfather 
and the rest of the family. I don’t know anything about the 
right or wrongs of it, for it was of course many years before 
we were born ; and I never heard of your father’s existence 
until a fortnight before I left England. Then there were 
some inquiries made about the family owing to various deaths 
that took place in it. Do you know that your father was re- 
lated, distantly of course, to the Earl of Netherby? ” 

“ I do remember his mentioning it once. I know he said 
that it was a distant connection, and that he knew nothing 
whatever about the earl or his family.” 

“Well, curiously enough, it is not so distant now,” the 
other said. “I was a pretty distant connection of his; he 
was childless, and the family generally don’t seem to have 
been prolific. A good many of them died, and the result 
was, that the year before I left England, an uncle of mine 
succeeded to the title. He has no son, and my father was 
his next brother. My father died two years ago, and the re- 
sult is that, to my astonishment, I found that I was next heir 
to the title. They wanted me to leave the army when my 
regiment was ordered out to India, but of course I was not 
going to do that, for my aunt may die and my uncle marry 
again and have children. Besides, 1 was not going to leave 
anyhow just as the regiment was ordered abroad and might 


THE ADVANCE 


173 


see setvice. However, there was a great hunting by the 
lawyers in the genealogical tree, and I know it was decided 
that in case anything happened to me your father would have 
been the next heir had he been alive. I don’t know whether 
any further inquiries were made, or whether they ever ascer- 
tained that he had married. I don’t suppose there were, for 
of course as long as I live the matter is of no importance. 
So that as things stand now, if a Burmese bullet puts an end 
to my career you are the next heir to the title. ’ ’ 

“You surprise me, indeed,” Stanley said. “From the 
way my father spoke of the matter I am sure that he had not 
the slightest idea there was any likelihood whatever that he 
would have any chance of succeeding to the title.” 

“ That I can well imagine, for it was not until a few years 
ago, when the deaths of several who stood between him and 
the succession occurred, that my uncle regarded his coming 
into it as a matter worth thinking about, and of course all our 
family stood between it and your father. However, as you 
see, we have dwindled away, and if I do not get safely 
through this business you are the next heir.” 

“ It is curious news to hear at a dinner in Burma,” Stanley 
said thoughtfully. “ At any rate, I can assure you honestly 
that the news gives me no particular satisfaction. I suppose 
it would be a nice thing to come in for a peerage, but my 
prospects out here are good. I have no intention of staying 
in the army after the end of the war, and am really in partner- 
ship with my uncle, with whom I have been for the last three 
years in business, which is turning out very well. I like the 
life, and have every chance of making enough to retire on, 
with ample means. Certainly I should not like to come into 
the title by the death of anyone that I knew.” 

“That is the fortune of war,” the other said smiling. 
“We get our steps by death vacancies. We are sorry for 


174 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


the deaths, but the steps are not unwelcome. By the way, 
my name is Harry. I know that yours is Stanley. I vote 
that we call each other by them. We are cousins, you 
know, and I suppose that as you are my heir, you must be 
my nearest male relation at present, so I vote that we call 
each other by our Christian names instead of Brookeing each 
other always. ’ ’ 

‘‘I shall be very glad to do so,” Stanley said cordially. 
“I hope that we shall be close friends as well as distant 
relations. ’ ’ 

Then, as there was a momentary lull in the conversation, 
Harry raised his voice and said to the colonel : 

A very curious thing has just happened. Colonel. Brooke 
and myself have just discovered that we are cousins, and what 
is still more curious, that if anything happens to me he takes 
my place as next heir to my uncle, a fact of which he was en- 
tirely ignorant.” 

‘‘That is certainly a very curious coincidence, Brooke; 
very singular. Then you have not met before ? ’ ’ 

“ I did not even know of his existence. Colonel, and had 
indeed no idea that Captain Brooke, his father, had been 
married. The cousinship is a distant one, but there is no 
question whatever as to his being next in succession to myself 
to the peerage.” 

The discovery excited general interest, and quite turned 
the conversation for the time from the subject of the war and 
of their approaching advance. After dinner was finished 
many of the officers gathered round Stanley asking him 
questions about the nature of the country, and his experiences 
as a captive in the hands of the Burmese. Presently Colonel 
Adair, who had also dined at the mess, joined the group. 

“I suppose, Mr. Brooke,” he said, “your newly-found 
cousin has told you about his adventure with the leopard? ” 


THE ADVANCE 


175 


“ No, Colonel, he has not said anything about a leopard.” 

He is grievously afflicted with modesty,” the colonel 
went on, “ and so I will tell it for him, for I think you 
ought to know that he is not only able to speak half a dozen 
languages, but that he is capable of doing deeds of ex- 
ceptional gallantry. You can go and chat with the colonel, 
Brooke ; he is anxious to hear your report as to the country, 
and I will be your trumpeter here.” 

Stanley gladly moved away, and entered into conversation 
with the colonel of the 47th, while Colonel Adair related his 
adventures with the leopard to his cousin and the officers 
standing round. 

“ By Jove, that was a plucky thing ! ” Harry Brooke said 
admiringly. 

It was indeed ! ” the colonel agreed, as similar exclama- 
tions went round the circle. I don’t think one man in a 
hundred would have attacked a leopard with no weapon but a 
knife, except to save the' life of a comrade ; even then it 
would be a most desperate action. I have done a good deal 
of big-game shooting in India, but I am certain that nothing 
but a strong affection for a comrade in the grasp of a leopard 
would induce me to risk almost certain death in the way your 
cousin did. We should never have heard of it if we had not 
got the details from the man he saved, and who has since at- 
tached himself to him as a servant, and is the man who, as I 
daresay he did tell you, served as his companion and guide in 
making his way down here. At any rate you see, Brooke, 
your cousin is an uncommonly fine young fellow, and you 
have reason to be proud of the relationship.” 

I feel so. Colonel, and it is really a pleasure to know 
that, if one does go down, a thoroughly good fellow will 
benefit by it, instead of some unknown person who might be 
a very objectionable representative of the family. ’ ’ 


176 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


For the next three or four days the bustle of preparations 
went on, and on the fifth a detachment was sent up with a 
sloop and gun -boats to attack an advanced position of the 
enemy on the Lyne river. Although the 3000 Burmese, who 
were posted in a strong stockade, were supported by thirty- 
six guns, the works were carried by storm with little loss. 
The two branches of the Pellang or Rangoon river, by which 
the force were to advance against Donabew, were on the fol- 
lowing day reconnoitred for some distance. A number of 
fire-rafts were destroyed, but the Burmese were too disheart- 
ened to offer any resistance. 

To the disappointment of the troops, the general was able 
to take with him only a limited force, for the difficulties of 
carriage were enormous, and as experience had shown that the 
country was likely to be deserted and devastated on their ap- 
proach, it was therefore impossible for the bulk of the army to 
be taken on by land. 

There were other points, however, where the troops left 
behind could be profitably employed ; the capture of the im- 
portant town of Bassein on the main branch of the Irrawaddy 
would open the river to the passage of our ships, and put an 
entire stop to the trade of Ava. 

The force told off for the advance against Donabew was 
divided into two columns. The first, 2400 strong, consisting 
of the 38th, 41st, and 47th Regiments, three native battalions, 
the troop of bodyguard, a battery of Bengal horse artillery, 
and part of the rocket company, was to march by land. The 
second column, which was to proceed by water, was 1169 
strong, and it consisted of the 89th Regiment, the loth Madras 
Europeans and 250 of the i8th Native Infantry, a body of 
dismounted artillery, and the rest of the rocket company. 

This force was commanded by Brigadier-General Cotton. 
It was to be carried in a flotilla of sixty-two boats, each 


DONABEW 


177 


armed with one or two guns, and the boats of all the ships of 
war at Rangoon under the command of Captain Alexander, 
R.N. Major Sale was, at the same time, to advance against 
Bassein with 600 men of the 13th Regiment and the 12th 
Madras Nativ^e Infantry, with some artillery. After occupy- 
ing the town he was to cross the country lying between the 
two main arms of the Irrawaddy, and to join the general’s 
force near Donabew. The rest of the force — nearly 4000 men, 
chiefly native regiments and Europeans who had not as yet 
recovered sufficient strength to take part in field operations — 
was to remain at Rangoon, under Brigadier-General M'Creigh, 
who was to form a reserve column, in readiness to move as 
directed as soon as sufficient transport was collected. 

It was to the water force that the capture of Donabew 
was intrusted, as it lay upon the opposite bank of the Irra- 
waddy, while the general’s force was directed against Thara- 
wa, at the junction of the two main branches of the river. 
Here they were to be joined by General Cotton’s force after 
the capture of Donabew ; then, unless the court of Ava sued 
for peace, a united advance was to be made on the important 
town of Prome. 


CHAPTER XI 

DONABEW 

S TANLEY BROOKE did not accompany the land column, 
as the general said to him two days before, I have 
been speaking with General Cotton, and he said that he 
should be glad if I would attach you to his staff* until the 
force unites again. Not one of his staff* officers speaks Bur- 


2 


178 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


mese, and although he has two or three interpreters with him, 
it will be better, if Bandoola sends in an officer offering to 
surrender, that he should be met by a British officer. In the 
next place, it may be necessary for him to communicate with 
me, and assuredly, with your experience of the country, you 
would be able to get through better than anyone else. I do 
not apprehend that there would be any great danger, for we 
know that every available fighting man has been impressed by 
Bandoola, and the passage of our column will completely 
cow the villagers lying between us and the river. I suppose,” 
he said with a smile, that you have no objection, since it 
will save you a long, and, I have no doubt, a very unpleasant 
march, and you will also obtain a view of the affairs at the 
stockades at Pellang and Donabew.” 

• The land column started on the 13th of February, the 
water column on the i6th, and the detachment for Bassein 
sailed on the following day. Stanley was delighted at being 
appointed to accompany the boat column. The march 
through the country would present no novelty to him, and 
it was probable that the land column would encounter no se- 
rious resistance until, after being joined by General Cotton’s 
force, it advanced against Prome. His horses went with those 
of General Cotton and his staff, under charge of the syce and 
Meinik. The one steamboat kept at the start in rear of the 
great flotilla of boats, so that in case of any of them striking 
on a sandbank, it could at once move to her assistance and 
pull her off. 

The scene was a very bright one, as in all upwards of a 
hundred craft of various sizes proceeded together. In front 
were half a dozen gun -boats, next to these came the two 
sloops of war, followed by the rest of the boats, proceeding 
in irregular order. There was very little stream, for the 
rivers were now quite low, and although the flat country was 


DONABEW 


179 


Still little more than a swamp, the rains in the hills that sup- 
plied the main body of water to them had long since ceased. 
The ships’ boats were, of course, rowed by the bluejackets. 
The other craft were, for the most part, manned by natives, 
though the soldiers on board occasionally lent a hand. Two 
days after starting the boats destroyed three newly-erected 
stockades that were found unoccupied, and on the 19th 
reached Pellang, where three very strong stockades had been 
erected. A battery was thrown up next day, from which, 
as well as from the steamboat and sloops of war, shells were 
thrown into the stockade with such effect that two of the 
enemy’s works were evacuated as soon as the troops took the 
offensive, and the main Pellang stockade was also abandoned 
without resistance. The two smaller works were destroyed, 
and a portion of the i8th Madras Infantry was left here to 
maintain communication with Rangoon. 

On the 27th the flotilla entered the main stream, and the 
next day the advance came in sight of Donabew. It was an- 
other five days before the whole force was in position, for 
several of the most heavily laden craft stuck fast on the sand- 
banks at the fork of the river. The next day Donabew was 
summoned to surrender. Bandoola, who was at the head of 
15,000 men, returned a refusal which was given in courteous 
terms, differing very widely from the haughty and peremptory 
language in which all previous communications had been 
couched. The next day a party of the 89th landed on the 
low-lying ground between the main stockade and the river, 
and, in spite of the heavy fire, succeeded in ascertaining the 
strength and nature of the defences. The main work was in 
the form of a parallelogram, about a mile long, and stood on 
ground rising above the general level, and fifty pieces of can- 
non of various sizes were in position on the river face. Two 
outworks, constructed of square beams of timber, with an 


180 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


outer ditch, and a thick abbatis, defended the southern face 
against an attack from an enemy landing below it. It was 
necessary to leave a strong guard on board the flotilla, lest an 
attack should be made by war-canoes and fire-rafts ; the gen- 
eral, therefore, had not more than 600 men available for the 
assault. 

As the enemy’s guns completely commanded the river, it 
was necessary to land below it, and on the morning of the 
7th the troops were disembarked, with two six -pounder guns 
and a rocket detachment. Forming in two columns they 
advanced against the lower of the two covering stockades, 
and after an exchange of fire with the enemy rushed for- 
ward and forced an entrance into it, although the enemy 
resisted with more resolution than they had for some time 
shown. 280 prisoners were taken, and the rest of the de- 
fenders fled to the second work. Two more guns and four 
mortars were landed and placed in position, and after the 
stockades had been shelled for a short time, a storming party, 
under Captain Rose, advanced to the assault. So heavy a 
fire was opened upon them that the little column was brought 
to a standstill and forced to fall back, with the loss of its 
commander and of Captain Cannon of the 89th, while most 
of the seamen with the storming party were either killed or 
wounded. 

This want of success against a mere outwork showed Gen- 
eral Cotton that, with the small force at his disposal, it would 
be worse than useless to renew the attack, for were the out- 
work carried the loss would be so great that it would be hope- 
less to think of attacking Bandoola’s main position. He 
therefore determined to abstain from further attack until rein- 
forced. 

Now, Mr. Brooke,” he said, as soon as the troops had 
been taken on board the boats again, I must bring your 


DONABEW 


181 


services into requisition. This is just the contingency that 
we thought might possibly occur. I cannot advance up 
the river until Donabew is taken, and I cannot attack the 
place with the force at my command. Therefore I will 
at once write a despatch to General Campbell for you to 
carry. You will be accompanied by the two men of the 
bodyguard who have come with me as orderlies. I shall 
have no use for them here, and three of you together need 
not fear any molestation from the few people remaining in 
their villages, and may be able to cut your way through any 
of the bands of deserters or beaten troops dispersed over the 
country.” 

Very well, General. I shall also take my Burman on my 
second charger; he may be useful in getting news as to 
roads from the natives, who will as likely as not fly into the 
jungle when they see us approaching. However, there is 
not much fear of our losing our way, as it will be along the 
river as far as Tharawa. ’ ’ 

A boat was at once sent off to the craft carrying the two 
orderlies, and the horses of the staff. As soon as the de- 
spatch was written, Stanley, after shaking hands with his com- 
panions, was also rowed to the horse-barge. This was, at a 
signal of the general, taken in tow by the steamer and piloted 
to the opposite bank. A boat sounding ahead presently 
found a spot where there was enough water for the barge 
to get alongside the bank. The horses were led ashore, and 
Stanley, the two troopers, and Meinik mounted. 

The Burmese are poor riders, but during the wet season 
Stanley had often taken Meinik on his spare horse when 
riding about in the camp, partly because he could trust him 
to look after the horses carefully, and in the second place 
to accustom him to ride on horseback, so as to act, if required, 
as an orderly. Meinik was quite of opinion that there would 


182 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


be no risk whatever in passing through villages, but thought 
it probable that they might fall in with disbanded troops, as 
it was known that the land column had, soon after starting, 
captured the fort of Mophi, and that its garrison, between two 
and three thousand strong, had taken to the jungle and dis- 
persed. 

“Still, master,” he said, “I don’t think it likely that 
they will attack us. They will be expecting no one, and we 
shall come upon them by surprise ; then they will run into 
the bushes, thinking that you must have many more troops 
behind you. No, it is not likely that they will have many 
guns ; they would throw them away when they fled, partly 
to run faster through the forest, partly because most of them 
will be making off to the villages, hoping to lie concealed 
until the war is over ; while if they had guns in their hands it 
would be known that they were deserters, and they might be 
seized and sent across the river to Bandoola or up to Prome. ’ ’ 

They rode some fifteen miles before dark, and then took 
up their quarters in a village. The few old men, women, 
and children inhabiting it fled at their approach ; but when 
Meinik went to the edge of the jungle and shouted out loudly 
that they need not fear, for that no harm would be done 
to any of them, and good prices would be given for food, 
two or three returned, and, finding the statements to be true, 
one of them went into the jungle again and brought the others 
back. Fowls and eggs were brought into the hut that Stan- 
ley occupied, and a good supply of grain for the horses was 
also purchased. Thus Stanley was able to avoid breaking 
into the small stock of provisions they had brought with 
them. The inhabitants of this part of Burma were a tribe 
known as Carians. They were the tillers of the soil, and 
were an industrious and hardy race. The country was so 
rich that they not only raised sufficient for their own wants. 


DONABEW 


183 


but sent large supplies of grain and rice to Ava. They were 
very heavily taxed, but, as a rule, were exempt from con- 
scription. Nevertheless they had on the present occasion 
been forced to labour at the stockades, and in transporting 
food for the troops. 

Their forest villages were small. They consisted of little 
huts erected either in trees shorn of their branches, or upon 
very strong poles ; these abodes were only accessible by 
rough ladders, formed by nailing pieces of wood across 
the trees or poles. This was absolutely necessary on ac- 
count of the number of tigers that infested the forest. The 
village where they had halted was, however, built upon 
the ground, but was surrounded by a strong stockade. 
The people assured Stanley that none of the fugitives from 
Mophi had come that way. 

There had, they said, been many after Bandoola’s defeat, 
but they had seen none of late. They declared that they 
had far greater fear of these than they had of the English, 
for that they plundered wherever they went, and if they 
could not obtain enough to satisfy their expectations, burnt 
the houses and often killed many of the inhabitants. The 
villagers volunteered to keep watch all night at the gate 
of the stockade, although they said that there was no fear of 
anyone approaching, as strangers could not find their way 
through the forest in the dark ; and even could they do so 
the fear of tigers would prevent them from making the at- 
tempt. Stanley agreed to pay some of them to watch, but 
also stationed one of his own men as sentry, relieving him 
every three hours. An hour after they reached the village 
they saw one of the war-boats rowing rapidly up the stream, 
and had no doubt that it was bearing a message from Ban- 
doola, saying that he had repulsed the attack of the British. 
Beyond hearing the howling of tigers in the forest Stanley 


184 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


passed the night undisturbed, except when he went to change 
the sentry ; Meinik took his share of watching, and Stanley 
himself relieved him an hour before daybreak. 

By the time the sun rose the horses had been fed and 
breakfast taken. After riding some miles the country be- 
came more open ; cultivated fields succeeded the dense 
forest ; the ground was higher, and little groups of huts 
could be seen wherever a small elevation rose above the 
general level. The change was very welcome, for they were 
able to travel faster, and there was less chance of their coming 
suddenly upon a party of the disbanded troops. Presently, 
just as they reached a larger village than usual by the river 
bank, a thick smoke arose from one of the houses, and they 
could hear female screams. 

“ Come on ! ” Stanley shouted to the three men riding 
behind him. See that your pistols are ready to hand, and 
draw your swords.” 

This village was not, like the last, stockaded, being some 
miles away from the forest. As they dashed into it they 
saw some twenty Burmese. Two women lay dead in front of 
one house, and one of the men with a torch was about to fire 
another. Absorbed in their own doings the Burmese did not 
notice the coming of the horsemen until the latter were close 
to them, then, with a cry of consternation, they turned to fly, 
but it was too late. Stanley cut down the man who was 
about to fire the hut, and he and the others then fell upon 
the Burmans with sword and pistol. ‘ Six of them were killed, 
the rest were pursued, but dashing down to the river they 
plunged in, pistol shots being sent after them. Stanley re- 
mained ‘on the bank until he saw that they had fairly started 
to cross the river, then he re-entered the village. Two or 
three frightened people came out from their hiding-places 
when Meinik shouted to them that all was safe. 



STANLEY CUT DOWN THE MAN WHO WAS ABOUT TO FIRE 

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DONABEW 


185 


“ They have all gone,” he said, “ you need not fear being 
disturbed by them again. See, there are six guns lying in the 
road, and you will find plenty of ammunition on those fellows 
that have fallen. There are some spears and swords, too. 
Of course you can do nothing if a number of these fellows 
come, but if there are only two or three, you and the women 
ought to be able to dispose of them. Now we must ride on.” 

On the third day they arrived at Tharawa, and found that 
Sir A. Campbell, who had been assured by the natives that 
Bandoola had retreated, had continued his march the day 
before. The place was so large that Stanley thought it un- 
safe for them to sleep there, and they rode on to a little 
village two miles away. Here they were received with great 
deference, the passage of the troops the day before having 
profoundly impressed the" villagers. After waiting three 
hours to rest the hoi*ses, they again mounted, and, riding all 
night, arrived in the morning at Yuadit, a village twenty-six 
miles from Tharawa, and found the force on the point of 
starting. 

“ No bad news, I hope, Mr. Brooke? ” the general said as 
he rode up to him. 

“ I am sorry to say, sir, that my news is not good. Here 
is the brigadier’s despatch.” 

“This is unfortunate indeed,” the general said when he 
had run his eye over the document. “ Mr. Tollemache, 
please to ride along the line and say that the column is not to 
get into motion until further orders.” 

Colonel Adair and the other officers of the staff had been 
on the point of mounting when Stanley rode up. The 
general called two or three of the senior officers to him. 

“ Cotton can neither take Donabew nor get past it,” he 
said. “Here is his despatch. You see he has lost several 
officers and a good many men, and that in the assault on an 


186 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


out-lying work only. I am afraid that there is nothing for 
us to do but go back to his assistance. ’ ’ 

“I am afraid not, sir,” Colonel Adair said. “ Our sup- 
plies are running short already, and you see we decided upon 
filling up all the carts at Tharavva, where we made sure that 
we should be met by the boats. The country round here has 
been completely stripped, and it would be a very serious 
matter to endeavour to advance to Prome without supplies. 
Moreover, we might expect a much more serious resistance 
than we have bargained for. The news that Bandoola has 
repulsed his assailants — and you may be sure that this has 
been exaggerated into a great victory — will restore the spirit 
of the Burmese. It is evident that we must turn back and 
finish off with Bandoola before we advance further.” 

Orders were accordingly sent to the officers commanding 
the various corps that the column was to retrace its steps, and 
while they passed through the village, Stanley related in much 
greater detail than had been given in the despatch, the events 
of the attack and the nature of the defences at Donabew. 

The troops marched along with a cheerful mien. It was of 
course an annoyance to have to plod back along the road 
they had before traversed, but upon the other hand there was 
a general satisfaction that they were after all to take part in 
the capture of Bandoola’s last stronghold. Colonel Adair 
rode on with the little troop of cavalry. He was to push 
forward to Tharawa, and was to offer rewards to the natives 
there for every boat brought in. There was little doubt that 
many of the fishermen had hauled up their craft into clumps 
^f bushes and brush-wood to prevent their being requisitioned 
by Bandoola, and although it was not likely that a large 
number would now be obtained, yet even if but a dozen were 
found it would be of assistance. The rest of the force reached 
Tharawa on the following evening, with the exception of a 


DONABEW 


isr 


party left to protect the slow-moving waggons. They found 
that nine canoes had been obtained, and that a considerable 
portion of the scanty population had been all day employed 
in cutting bamboos and timber for rafts. 

The next morning the troops were all engaged on the same 
work, and in the construction of rafts, and at nightfall three 
hundred men of the 49th were taken across the river to the 
town of Henzada, in case Bandoola, on hearing of the prep- 
arations for crossing, should send a force to oppose the 
passage. It took four days’ continuous labour to get the little 
army across, as it was necessary to make large timber rafts to 
carry the carts, horses and bullocks, guns and stores. Hear- 
ing that a force was posted some fifteen miles away to inter- 
cept the detachment that was marching from Bassein, Colonel 
Godwin with a party was sent off that night to endeavour to 
surprise it. The Burmese, however, took the alarm before 
they were attacked, and scattered in all directions without 
firing a shot. The army marched along the right bank, and 
arrived before Donabew on the 25th of March. Communi- 
cations were opened with General Cotton’s force below the 
town, and both divisions set to work to erect batteries. 

The Burmese made several sorties to interrupt the work, 
and one of these was accompanied by Bandoola’s seventeen 
elephants. The troop of cavalry, horse artillery, and the 
rocket company charged close up to the elephants, and 
opened fire upon the howdahs filled with troops that they 
carried. In a short time most of these and the drivers were 
killed, and the elephants, many of which also had received 
wounds, dashed off into the jungle, while the infantry fled 
back into the stockade, into which a discharge of shells and 
rockets was maintained all day. The next morning — the ist 
of April — the mortar batteries were completed, and these and 
others armed with light guns kept up a continuous fire into 


188 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


the enemy’s camp. At daybreak on the 2d the heavy guns 
of the breaching batteries also opened fire, and in a very short 
time the enemy were seen pouring out in the rear of their 
works and making their way into the jungle. As there had 
been no idea that they would so speedily evacuate the stock- 
ade, no preparations had been made for cutting them off, and 
the garrison therefore effected their escape with but little loss. 

The troops at once occupied the work, and found large 
stores of grain and ammunition there as well as a great num- 
ber of guns. From some of the wounded Burmans it was as- 
certained that the evacuation of the fort was due to the death 
of Bandoola, who had been killed by the explosion of a shell 
while watching the operations from a look-out that had been 
erected for him at the top of a lofty tree. His death had 
caused the most profound depression among the garrison ; 
their leaders in vain endeavoured to reanimate their courage, 
the opening of the fire with the heavy guns completed their 
discomfiture, and they fled without thought of resistance. 
Indeed, the greater part had stolen away during the night. 

A portion of the fleet had already passed up beyond the 
fort under a heavy fire, and the rest now came up. The 
supplies of grain were renewed, and a guard being left to hold 
the works, which would now serve as a base, the army again 
started up the river, the water column proceeding to Tharawa. 
the land force marching back to Henzada, whence they were 
carried across the river in the boats. Here the force was 
joined by the reserve column from Rangoon, consisting of 
several companies of the Royals and the 28th Native Infantry, 
with a supply of elephants and carriage cattle which had 
arrived from Calcutta. On the 14th Yuadit was again 
reached. No opposition whatever was encountered, indeed 
the whole country was deserted, the inhabitants having been 
ordered away by the Burmese authorities as soon as the fall of 


DONABEW 


189 


Donabew was known. When within four days’ march of 
Prome, two native officials came in with a communication to 
the effect that the Burmese were ready to treat for peace. As 
it was known, however, that reinforcements were on their 
way down from Ava, it was evident that this was merely a 
pretext to gain time, and the general sent word that when he 
arrived at Prome he would be ready to open negotiations for 
peace. 

The country through which the army was now passing was 
very beautiful. In the far distance on the left the mountains 
of Aracan could be. seen, while on the right the country was 
undulating, richly cultivated, and broken by clumps of tim- 
ber, with a background of the range of hills running along 
near the Pegu river. On the 24th the heights of Prome, 
eight miles away, were visible, and the flotilla could be seen 
lying at anchor a short distance below the town. Messengers 
came out that afternoon to endeavour to induce the general 
not to enter it, but a reply was sent that this was out of the 
question, that no harm would befall the inhabitants, and that 
as soon as he entered, the general would be ready to receive 
any persons qualified to treat for peace. 

Some hours before daybreak the army marched forward, 
and by sunrise were close to the town. The position was 
found to be extremely strong. Every hill commanding the 
place had been fortified to the very summit, strong stockades 
ran in every direction, and it was evident that a great num- 
ber of men must have been engaged for a long time in at- 
tempting to render the place impregnable. 

Not a soldier, however, was to be found. A native of 
the place presently met them with the news that the gov- 
ernor and troops had evacuated it, with the exception of a 
small party who were firing the town. This story was cor- 
roborated by wreaths of smoke rising at various points. The 


190 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


troops pressed forward at the top of their speed ; on entering 
the town they found that the native population had all been 
forced to leave, and piling their arms, they set to work to ex- 
tinguish the flames, which they did not, however, succeed in 
doing until nearly half the town was destroyed. Fortunately 
the fire was checked before it reached the great magazines of 
grain and other stores for the army. 

The belief that the negotiations had been only pretexts to 
arrest the advance of the troops against the town until the ex- 
pected reinforcements arrived was confirmed by the natives, 
who presently came in from hiding-places where they had 
taken refuge until their army retired. They said that as soon 
as the news came of the fall of Donabew, fresh levies were 
ordered to be collected in every part of Upper Burma, while 
the whole population of the province had been employed in 
adding to the defences of the town, which had been already 
very strongly stockaded. 

It was a disappointment to the force, which had hoped that 
the occupation of Prome would bring about the submission of 
the court of Ava, and enable them to be taken down the river 
in boats, and embark before the rainy season again set in. 
Nevertheless the prospect of passing that season at Prome was 
vastly more pleasant than if it had to be spent at Rangoon. 
They were now inland beyond the point where the rains were 
continuous. The town was situated on high ground, and the 
country round was open and healthy. Although for some 
little distance round the cattle had been driven off and the 
villages destroyed, it was certain that flying columns would be 
able to bring in any amount of cattle before the wet season 
began. 

For a short time it was thought that the occupation of 
Prome would show the king and court that it was useless to 
continue the struggle any longer, but these hopes were dis- 


DONABEW 


191 


sipated when it was known that a further levy of 30,000 men 
had been called out. The court, however, was apparently 
conscious that its commands would no longer be obeyed with 
the alacrity before manifested. The early levies had obeyed 
the call with cheerfulness, believing in their invincibility, and 
confident that they would return home laden with spoil, after 
driving, without difficulty, the audacious strangers into the 
sea. Things, however, had not turned out so. The troops 
that had left Ava in high spirits had been routed with very 
heavy losses. Their great general, Bandoola, had been killed, 
and fugitives from the army were scattered over the land, 
bearing with them reports of the extraordinary fighting pow- 
ers of these white enemies, and of the hopelessness of attempt- 
ing to resist them. The consequence was that in issuing the 
order for the new levy, a bounty of twenty pounds, which to 
the Burmans was a very large sum, was offered to each man 
who obeyed the call. 

The first step on the part of the British general was to send 
proclamations through the country guaranteeing protection to 
all, and inviting the population to return to their towns and 
villages. The troops were employed in erecting, with the 
assistance of as much native labour as could be procured, 
comfortable huts outside the town, so that the natives on re- 
turning should find their homes unoccupied and untouched. 
It was not long before this excellent policy had its due effect. 
As soon as those who first returned sent the news to their 
friends, the fugitives came out from their hiding-places in the 
forests in great numbers and returned to the city. Those 
whose homes were still standing, settled down in them and 
resumed their ordinary avocations, just as if their native 
rulers were still in authority, while those whose houses had 
been burned set to work, with a cheerfulness characteristic of 
their race, to re- erect their light wooden dwellings. 


192 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


So favourable were the reports spread through the country 
of our conduct that in a short time the population of Prome 
was considerably larger than it had been before the advance 
of our army. Similar results were speedily manifest through- 
out the whole district below the town. From the great forest 
that covered more than half of it, the villagers poured out, 
driving before them herds of cattle, and in two or three months 
the country that had appeared a desert became filled with an 
industrious population. Order was established ; the local civil 
officers were again appointed to their former posts, but their 
powers of oppression and intimidation were abrogated by the 
order that no punishment beyond a short term of imprison- 
ment was to be inflicted on any person whatever until the 
case had been brought before the British authorities, and 
soon the only fear entertained by the people of the rich 
district of the lower Irrawaddy was that the British troops 
would march away and leave them again to the oppression 
and tyranny of their former masters. 

The markets of Prome were abundantly supplied with- food 
of all sorts, and as everything was liberally paid for, any num- 
ber of bullocks were obtainable ; for although the Burmese 
are forbidden by their religion to kill cattle, and therefore 
keep them only for draught purposes, they had no objection 
to our killing them, or indeed to eat the meat when they 
could obtain it. Labour of all kinds was abundant, and 
great numbers of canoes were constructed for the purpose 
of bringing up supplies from the villages on the river, and for 
the advance of the force at the end of the wet season. Until 
this set in in earnest, small bodies of troops marched through 
the forests, driving out the bands that infested them, and 
plundered and killed the country people without mercy. 
The general’s aides-de-camp had a busy time of it, being 
constantly employed in carrying orders to the towns and vil- 


DONABEW 


193 


lages, in hearing complaints, and, in Stanley’s case, entering 
into agreements for the purchase of cattle and grain. 

When in Prome he spent a good deal of his spare time with 
his cousin, who, having bought a horse, frequently obtained 
leave to accompany him on his excursions on duty. A 
warm friendship had sprung up between them. Harry was 
two years older than Stanley, and had been at Eton up to 
the time that he entered the army. He was, however, in 
manner no older than his cousin, whose work for the three 
years previous to the outbreak of the war had rendered him 
graver and more manly than a life spent among lads of his 
own age could have done. Meinik always accompanied 
Stanley wherever he went. He had now, to the latter’s 
quiet amusement, modified his Burmese costume, making it 
look like that of some of the whites, and indeed he would 
have passed without notice as one of the Goa-Portuguese 
mess waiters in his suit of white nankeen. When riding, or 
on any service away from the headquarter camp, he was 
dressed in a suit of tough brown khaki which he had ob- 
tained from one of the traders at Rangoon. The coat differed 
but little from that of the suit Stanley had handed over to 
him except that it was somewhat shorter and without the 
small shoulder cape, and in fact resembled closely the modern 
regimental tunic. Below he wore knee-breeches of the same 
material, with putties or long bands of cloth, wound round 
and round* the leg, and which possessed many advantages 
over gaiters. He still clung to the turban, but instead of 
being white, it was of the same colour as his clothes, and was 
much larger than the Burmese turban. 

“ Burmese are great fools,” he often said to Stanley. 
“They think they know a great deal; they know nothing 
at all. They think they are great fighters ; they are no good 
at fighting, for one Englishman beats ten of them. Their 

13 


194 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


government is no good — ^it keeps everyone very poor and 
miserable. You come here ; you know nothing of the coun- 
try, and yet you make everyone comfortable. We ride through 
the villages ; we see everyone rejoicing that they are governed 
by the English, and hoping that the English will never go 
away again. What do you think, sir — will you stay here 
always ? You have had much trouble to take the country ; a 
great many people have been ill ; a great many died. Now 
you have got it, why should you go away again ? ’ ’ 

It is quite certain that we shall not give it all up, Meinik. 
It has been, as you say, a troublesome and very expensive 
business ; and the farther the king obliges us to go up before 
he makes peace the more he will have to pay, either in money 
or territory. Of course I cannot say what the terms of peace 
will be ; but I should think that very likely we shall hold the 
country from the sea up to here, with Aracan and a strip along 
the sea-coast of Tenasserim.” 

That will be good,” Meinik said. ‘‘I shall never go 
outside the English land again. There will be plenty to 
do, and a great trade on the river ; everyone will be happy 
and contented. I should be a fool to go back to Upper 
Burma, where they would chop off my head if they knew that 
I had been down to Rangoon when the English were there. ’ ’ 


HARRY CARRIED OFF 


195 


CHAPTER XII 

HARRY CARRIED OFF 

E arly in September Stanley was sent to purchase cattle 
from some of the villages near the foot of the hills, and 
at the same time to make inquiries as to the movements of a 
large band of marauders who had been making raids in that 
neighbourhood. He had with him four troopers of the body- 
guard ; Harry Brooke accompanied him. Although from the 
healthier situation of Prome the amount of illness during the 
wet season did not approach that which had been suffered at 
Rangoon, a great many men were in hospital, and there were 
many deaths. Harry had had a sharp attack of fever, and as 
he had now recovered to a certain extent, the medical officer 
of his regiment strongly recommended that he should have 
a change; and he therefore without difficulty obtained his 
colonel’s leave to accompany Stanley, as the ground would 
be much higher than that on the river, and the mere fact of 
getting away from a camp where so many deaths took place 
every day would in itself be of great value. 

Stanley’s daily journeys were not likely to be long ones, 
as he had instructions to stop at all villages, and to see 
how things were going on, and whether the people had 
any complaints to make of oppression and exaction by 
their local authorities. 

It is a tremendous pull your being able to speak the 
language, Stanley,” Harry .said. “ If it hadn’t been for 
that, you would have been stuck at Prome like the rest of 
us. Instead of that you are always about, and you look 
as fresh and healthy as if you were at a hill station in India.” 
“ Yes, it has been an immense advantage to me in all 


196 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


ways. Of course I should never have got my staff appoint- 
ment if it had not been for that. By the way, 1 have not 
told you that while you were down with the lever the gazette 
containing the confirmation of my appointment by the gen- 
eral and the notice of my commi.ssion, dated on the day 
of my appointment, came out. I had quite a lump sum 
to draw, for although I have been paid as interpreter all 
along, the paymaster made a difficulty about my pay as a 
subaltern until I was gazetted regularly ; so I have quite 
a large sum coming to me on my pay and allowances. I 
don’t know how you stand for cash, but if you are short at 
all I can let you have anything that you want.” 

“ I have got really more than I know whak to do with, 
Stanley. I bought an uncommonly good native horse, as 
you know, six weeks ago, and I am going to ride him for 
the first time now, but, really, that is almost the first penny 
that I have spent since we left Rangoon. There is nothing 
to buy here except food, and of course that is a mess business. 

I had an idea that this was a rich country, but so far one has 
seen nothing in the way of rich dre.ss materials, or shawls, or 
carpets, or jewelry that one could send home as presents. 
Why, in India 1 was always being tempted ; but here it is 
certainly the useful rather than the ornamental that meets 
the eye.” 

‘‘ I saw some nice things at Ava; but, of course, all the 
upper classes bolted as we came up the country, and the 
traders in rich goods did the same. Are you going to 
take a servant with you, Harry? I don’t think that there 
is any occasion to do so, for Meinik can look after us both 
well enough.” 

‘‘ Yes, I am thinking of taking my native, the man I hired 
just after I got here. He is a very good fellow, and made 
himself very useful while I was ill. I picked up a tat for him 


HARRY CARRIED OFF 


197 


yesterday for a few rupees. I know that your man would do 
very well for us both ; but, sometimes, when you make a vil- 
lage your headquarters and ride to visit others from it, I may 
not feel well enough to go with you, and then he would come 
in very handy, for he has picked up a good many words of 
English. Your man is getting on very well that way.” 

“Yes; he was some time before he began, for, of course, 
he had no occasion for it ; but now that he has taken to what 
he considers an English costume, and has made up his mind 
that he will never settle down again under a Burmese govern- 
ment, he has been trying hard to pick up the language. I 
found that it was rather a nuisance at first, when, instead of 
telling him what was wanted in his own language, I had to 
tell him in English, and then translate it for him. How- 
ever, he does understand a good deal now, and whenever he 
has nothing else to do he is talking lyith the soldiers. Of 
course, from his riding about so much with me, he is pretty 
well known now ; and as he is a good-tempered, merry fellow 
he makes himself at home with them, and if the campaign lasts 
another six months I think he will speak very fair English.” 

“ I fancy that you will have to make up your mind that he 
is a permanency, Stanley ; I am sure he intends to follow you 
wherever you go, whether it is to England, India, or any- 
where else.” 

“ I sha’n’t be sorry for that, Harry ; certainly not as long 
as I am out here. In the first place he is really a very handy 
fellow, and ready to make himself useful in any way ; then 
there is no doubt that he is greatly attached to me, and would 
go through fire and water for me. A man of that sort is in- 
valuable to anyone knocking about as I shall be when the war 
is over and I take up trading again. His only fault is that he 
is really too anxious to do things for me. Of course when I am 
on duty there is nothing much he can do, but if I am sitting 


198 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


in a room he will squat for hours in the corner and watch me ; 
if my cheroot gets low, there he is with a fresh one and a light 
in a moment ; if I drop my handkerchief or a pen, there he is 
with it, before I have time to stoop. Sometimes I have really 
to invent errands to send him on, so as to give him something 
to do for me. I own that I have not contemplated what posi- 
tion he would occupy if I go trading, but I quite recognize 
that he will go with me, and that he would become a portion 
of my establishment, even if that establishment consisted only 
of himself. Will you be ready to start at four in the morning? 
The sun is tremendously hot now on the days between the 
rain; at any rate it will be much better for you, till you 
get your strength, to travel in the cool of the morning or 
in the evening.” 

“ I shall be ready. I will be round here with my servant 
by that hour. By the way, what shall I bring with me? ” 

‘‘Nothing at all; I shall take a couple of chickens and 
some bread and coffee and sugar, and a bottle of brandy for 
emergencies ; but we shall have no difficulty in getting food 
in the villages. The troopers will only carry their day’s 
rations with them ; after that I always act as mess caterer, 
and charge expenses when I get back here. ’ ’ 

Accordingly the next morning they started at four o’clock. 
Stanley insisted that Harry should ride his second horse for 
the present, as his own, having been six weeks without ex- 
ercise, and fed very much better than it had been accustomed 
to, was in much too high spirits to be pleasant for an invalid. 
Meinik, therefore, took Harry’s, and the latter rode beside 
his cousin, whose horse had had abundant exercise, and was 
well content to canter quietly along by the side of his com- 
panion. By the end of ten days Harry had picked up some 
of his strength ; they now reached a village which Stanley 
decided to use as his headquarters for a few days, while he 


HARRY CARRIED OFF 


199 


made excursions to other places within a day’s ride. It was 
a good place for a halt, standing as it did at some height on 
the hills, where the air was much cooler at night than in the 
flat country. It was surrounded by a clearing of about a 
hundred acres in extent, planted with cacao trees, pepper, 
and many kinds of vegetables. 

‘‘ This is delightful ! ” Harry said, as they sat in front of 
the hut that had been cleared for them and looked over the 
plain. ‘‘ It must be twenty degrees cooler here than it was 
at Prome. I think I shall do nothing to-morrow, Stanley, 
but just sit here and enjoy myself. I know it is very lazy, 
for I am feeling quite myself again ; still, after ten days’ rid- 
ing I do think that it will be pleasant to have a day’s rest.” 

‘‘Do, by all means,” Stanley said. “I think you had 
better stay here for the three days that we shall remain. 
Your man is a very good cook, and there is no lack of food. 
Those chickens we had just now were excellent, and the 
people have promised to bring in some game to-morrow. 
There are plenty of snakes, too, and you lose a good deal, I 
can assure you, by turning up your nose at them. They are 
just as good as eels, as Meinik cooks them, stewed with a 
blade of cinnamon and some hot peppers. I cannot see that 
they can be a bit more objectionable to eat than eels ; indeed, 
for anything one knows, the eel may have been feasting on a 
drowned man the day before he was caught, while the snakes 
only take a meal once a week or so, and then only a small 
bird of some kind.” 

“ I dare say that you are quite right, Stanley, and I own 
that the dishes your man turns out look tempting ; but I 
cannot bring myself to try, at any rate as long as I can get 
anything else to eat. If I knew that it was a case of snake 
or nothing I would try it, but till then I prefer sticking to 
birds and beasts. ’ ’ 


200 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


The next morning Stanley rode off with two of his escort 
and Meinik, who declined altogether to be left behind. 

‘‘No, master,” he said, “ there is never any saying when 
you may want me, and what should I ever say to myself if 
misfortune were to come to you and I were not to be there ? ’ ’ 

Stanley had a long day’s work. As a rule the villagers 
had few complaints to make, but at the place he went to on 
this occasion the head-man had been behaving as in the old 
times, and Stanley had to listen to a long series of complaints 
on behalf of the villagers. The case was fully proved both as 
to extortion and ill-treatment. Stanley at once deprived the 
man of his office, and called upon the villagers to assemble 
and elect another in his place. 

“If you are not satisfied,” he said to the fellow, “you 
can go to Prome and appeal to the general there ; but I warn 
you that if you do you must give notice to the villagers of 
your intention, so that they may, if they choose, send two or 
three of their number to repeat the evidence that they have 
given me. I have noted this fully down, and 1 can tell you 
that the general, when he reads it, will be much more likely 
to order you a sound flogging than to reinstate you in your 
office.” 

It was dusk when Stanley arrived within two miles of the 
village where he had left Harry. Meinik, who was riding 
just behind him, brought his horse up alongside. 

‘ ‘ Do you see that, sir ? There is a light in the sky. It is 
just over where the village is. I am afraid there is a fire 
there. ’ ’ 

“You are right, Meinik. I hope nothing has gone 
wrong.” He touched his horse with his heel, and rode on 
at a gallop. He became more and more anxious as he ap- 
proached the village. No flames could be seen leaping up, 
but there was a dull glow in the sky. As he rode into the 


HARRY CARRIED OFF 


201 


clearing he reined up his horse in dismay. A number of 
glowing embers alone marked the place where the village had 
stood, and no figures were to be seen moving about. 

“ There has been foul play, Meinik. Get ready for action, 
men,” he said to the two troopers, and they dashed forward 
at a gallop. Two or three little groups of people were sitting 
in an attitude of deep dejection by the remains of their 
houses. 

“ What has happened? ” Stanley shouted as he rode up. 

‘ ‘ The robbers have been here, and have slain many and 
burned the village. ’ ’ 

“ Where is my friend ? ” 

They have carried him off, my lord ; or at least we can- 
not find his body. His servant and one of the soldiers are 
lying dead, but of the other soldier and the officer there are 
no signs. ’ ’ 

This is terrible ! ” Stanley exclaimed. Tell me exactly 
how it happened.” 

It was four hours ago, my lord. The robbers came sud- 
denly out from the plantation and fell upon the people. 
Many they killed at once, but many also have escaped as we 
did, by running in among the plantations, and so into the 
forest. We heard the firing of guns for a little time, then 
everything was silent, and we knew that the robbers were 
searching the houses. Half an hour later smoke rose in many 
places, and then flames ; then after a time all was quiet. A 
boy crept up among the bushes, and came back with the news 
that they had all gone. Then we came out again. Twenty- 
three of our people had been killed, and eight carried off, at 
least we cannot find the bodies ; the white officer and one of 
his soldiers have gone also.” 

Which way did they go ? ” 

The tracks show that they went up the hill. Most likely 


202 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


they will have gone to Toungoo if they have gone to any 
town at all ; but indeed we think they have taken the prison- 
ers to get a reward for them.” 

Stanley had thrown himself off his horse as he rode up, 
and he stood for some time silently leaning against it. Then 
he said to Meinik : 

‘‘Picket the horses, and then come and have a talk with 
me.” Then he turned to the two troopers: “There is 
nothing to be done now,” he said. “You had better look 
about and see what you can find in the way of food, and 
then get a grave dug for your comrade and another for Mr. 
Brooke’s servant.” 

The two Mahommedan troopers saluted, and led their 
horses away. Meinik, after picketing the animals, returned 
to Stanley, but, seeing that the latter was pacing up and 
down and evidently not disposed to speak, he went away. 
There were a good many fowls walking about in a bewildered 
way near the huts. They had been away as usual searching 
for food in the plantations and fields when the robber band 
arrived, and on their return home at dusk had found every- 
thing changed. A boy at once caught and killed two of 
these, plucked them and brought them to Meinik, who, get- 
ting some embers from the fires, cut the fowls in two and put 
them on to roast. A few minutes sufficed to cook them. As 
soon as they were ready Meinik took them to Stanley. 

“You must eat, master,” he said. “You have had noth- 
ing since we started this morning, and sorrow alone makes 
a poor supper. You will want to do something, I know, and 
will need all your strength.” 

“ You are right, Meinik. Yes, give me one of them, and 
take the other one yourself, and while we eat, we can talk. 
Of course I must make an effort to rescue my cousin from 
the hands of this band.” 


HARRY CARRIED OFF 


203 


“ Yes, master, I knew that you would do that.” 

“ Did you ask how many there were of them, Meinik? ” 

Some say forty, some say sixty.” 

If we knew where they are now, and could come up to 
them, we might manage to get them off while the robbers 
were asleep.” 

Meinik shook his head. “ They are sure to keep a strict 
guard over a white officer,” he said ; but if we rushed in 
and shouted and fired pistols they might all run away.” 

I am afraid not, Meinik. There might be a scare for 
a minute, but directly they saw that there were only two of us 
they would turn and kill us. Your people are brave enough ; 
they may feel that they cannot stand against our troops owing 
to our discipline, but they fight bravely hand-to-hand. How- 
ever, we don’t know exactly which way they have gone, and 
it would be hopeless to search for them in the forest during 
the darkness. What should they go to Toungoo for ? ” 

“ I have been thinking it over, master, and it seems to me 
that many of them may belong there or to the villages near. 
They may not dare return to their homes, because they are 
afraid that they would be punished for having left the army, 
and would certainly be sent off again to it. Now they may 
think that if they go back with a white officer and soldier, 
and tell some story of having beaten a great many English , 
they will be rewarded, and may even be able to remain some 
time in their homes before they are sent off, or they may be 
ordered to march with their prisoners to Ava, where they 
would get still more reward. I can see no other reason for 
their carrying off the officer. ’ ’ 

I think very likely that is so, Meinik. Anyhow we are 
more likely to rescue my cousin at Toungoo than we should 
be while on the road. It would be next to impossible to 
find them among all the hills and trees, and even if we did 


204 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


come upon them at night, and could creep into the midst of 
them, we might find that my cousin is too severely wounded 
to travel, for, as there was a fight, it is almost certain he 
must have been wounded before he was captured. There- 
fore, I think it is best to make straight for Toungoo. How 
many miles is it from here, do you think ? ” 

Meinik went over to the natives and asked the question. 

About forty-five miles, they say ; very bad travelling ; all 
mountains, but ten miles to the north is a road that runs 
straight there.” 

“ Then we had better follow that, Meinik. In this broken 
country and forest we should be losing our way continually.” 

“ How will you go, master? On horse or foot ? ” 

We will go on horseback as far as we can ; we are not 
likely to meet people travelling along the road at present. 
Another thing is that, if we can get the horses as near the 
town as possible, they would be very useful, for if Mr. Brooke 
has been wounded badly he may not be able to walk far. 
You do not know whether the country near the town is open 
or whether the forests approach it closely? ” 

The natives were again applied to. 

‘‘It is a rich country there, they say, and well cultivated 
for five or six miles round the town.” 

“ I will go and have a talk with them presently. It will, 
of course, be necessary for me to disguise myself again.” 

Meinik nodded. “ Yes, you must do that, master.” 

‘ ‘ Do you think that we can get two or three men to go 
with us from here ? ” 

“If you will pay them, master, no doubt they will be 
ready to go. They are well content with the white rulers. 
They find that they are not oppressed, and everything is paid 
for, and that the white officers treat them kindly and well. 
They have lost many things in this affair to-day, and would 


HARRY CARRIED OFF 


205 


be glad to earn a little money. How many would you like 
to have ? ’ ’ 

Four or five, Meinik. I don’t exactly know at present 
what there would be for them to do, but they could help to 
make fires and keep watch while we are doing something; 
at any rate, they may be useful. Of course, I shall get the 
trooper out too if I can. Very likely they will be confined 
together, and if we rescue one we can of course rescue the 
other. Now I must do some writing. Get me a torch of 
some sort and I will do it while you are speaking to the 
natives. ’ ’ 

Stanley always carried a note-book and pen and ink to take 
down statements and complaints as he rode about. He now 
sat down and wrote an account of what had taken place dur- 
ing his absence. 

We had no previous news of the existence of the band,” 
he went on, “ and the natives themselves had certainly no fear 
of any attack being imminent. Had I thought that there was 
the slightest risk I should not have made the village my head- 
quarters, or have left Mr. Brooke there with only his servant 
and two troopers. I regret the matter most deeply, and am 
about to set off to Toungoo with my man. I shall, of course, 
go in disguise, and shall make every endeavour to free my 
cousin. I trust. General, that you will grant me leave for 
this purpose. I am, of course, unable to say how long it may 
take me; but, however long, I shall persevere until I learn 
that my cousin is dead or until I am myself killed. I trust 
that in starting at once, on the assumption that you will 
grant me leave, I am not committing a breach of duty. But 
if so, and you feel that you cannot, under the circumstances 
in which you are placed, grant leave to an officer to be absent 
on private business, I inclose a formal resignation of my com- 
mission, stating why I feel myself constrained, even in the pre- 


206 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


sence of the enemy, to endeavour to rescue my cousin from the 
band that has carried him off. At any rate, it could not be 
said that I resigned in order to shirk danger. I sent off, two 
days ago, by one of the natives here, a report of my proceed- 
ings up to that date, and have now the honour to inclose the 
notes I took of my investigations to-day into the conduct of 
the head-man of Pilboora, and my reasons for depriving him 
of his office. I shall leave the two troopers of my escort here, 
with orders to remain until either I return, or they receive in- 
structions from Prome. I am taking a few of the villagers 
with me. Should anything occur to me at Toungoo they 
will bring back the news to the troopers, and I shall leave in- 
structions with them to carry it at once to you. If I find 
that Mr. Brooke has been sent on to Ava I shall, of course, 
follow and endeavour to effect his rescue on the road. As it 
is possible. General, that I may not have another opportunity 
of thanking you for the many kindnesses that you have shewn 
me, allow me to do so most heartily now.” 

When Stinley had concluded the letter, and written the 
paper offering his resignation and giving his reasons for so 
doing, he called Meinik to him. 

‘‘Well, Meinik, have you found men willing to go with 
us?” 

“Yes, master, I have got five men ; two of them know Toun- 
goo well. All are stout fellows. I offered them the terms 
that you mentioned, fifty ounces of silver to each man if you 
succeeded by their aid in rescuing the officer. They were 
delighted at the offer, which would enable them to replace 
everything that they have lost. I told them, of course, that 
if it were necessary to fight they would have to do so, and 
that as many of their countrymen were enlisted as gun-lascars 
and in other occupations with the English, and are of course 
exposed to the attacks of their countrymen, they would only 


HARRY CARRIED OFF 


207 


be doing what others have been willing to do. They said 
that they were ready enough to fight. You were the gov- 
ernment now, and you were a good government, and they 
would fight for you ; and, besides, as the officer was carried 
off from their village it was their duty to help to get him 
back. One of them said, ‘ These men who attacked us are 
Burmese soldiers. As they attack us there is no reason why 
we should not attack them.’ So I think, master, that you 
can count upon them. The Burmese have always been fond 
of fighting, because fighting means booty ; the troops don’t 
want to fight any more, because they get no booty, and a 
number of them are killed. But now that the villagers 
have been forced to go to the war against their will, and have 
been plundered and many killed by Burmese soldiers, they 
are quite ready to take sides with you. Three of them have 
had wives or children killed to-day, and that makes them full 
of fight. ’ ’ 

“ Well, you had better tell them to cook at once food for 
two or three days. At four o’clock they are to start through 
the forest to the road you spoke of. We will set out at the 
same time on horseback, but we shall have to make a detour, 
so they will be on the road before we are. Tell them when 
they get there to stop until we come up.” 

“ Yes, master. It is a good thing that I rode your second 
horse yesterday instead of Mr. Brooke’s animal.” 

Yes, he is worth a good deal more than the other, Meinik, 
and I should certainly have been sorry to lose him.” 

“ One of the men who is going with us says that he knows 
of the ruins of an old temple eight or nine miles this side 
of Toungoo, and that this w^ould be a good place for us to 
leave our horses. It is very, very old, one of those built by 
the people who lived in the land before we came to it, and 
the Burmans do not like to go near it, so that there would be 


208 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


no fear of our being disturbed there. Even these men do not 
much like going there, but I told them that no evil spirits 
would come where white men were.” 

^‘It is rather far off, Meinik, but as you say the country is 
cultivated for some distance round the town, we shall certainly 
have to leave our horses some six or seven miles away, and 
two or three miles will not make much difference. We can 
put on our disguises there. You had better take a couple of 
boys to look after the horses while we are away.” 

They would not sleep there at night,” Meinik said doubt- 
fully. I don’t think the men would either, if you were not 
there.” 

“That would not matter, Meinik, if, as you say, there is 
no fear of anyone else going there. ’ ’ 

“ Certainly, no one else will go there at night, master.” 

“ At any rate if you can get two boys to go we may as 
well take them. They might go there in the day and feed 
and water the horses, and sleep some distance away at night.” 

Meinik found two boys sixteen years old, who said that 
they would go with them, and at the hour agreed on Stanley 
and Meinik started on horseback. They descended the hill 
to the plain at its foot, and, turning to the right, rode for 
some ten or twelve miles, when they struck into the road, and 
following this at an easy pace they came in the course of an- 
other hour upon the party of villagers sitting by the roadside. 
The sun was just rising, and they travelled for three hours 
without meeting anyone ; then they drew off into the wood at 
a point where a small stream crossed the road, and, after eat- 
ing a meal, and giving a good feed to the horses, lay down to 
sleep till the heat of the day abated, the natives, who were 
all armed with spears and swords, keeping watch by turns. 
At four o’clock they started again, and at ten approached the 
spot where, in the depth of the wood, lay the temple. The man 


HARRY CARRIED OFF 


209 


who knew its position declared, however, that he could not 
find it at night. Stanley had no doubt that he was really 
afraid to go there, but as he did not wish to press them against 
their will, he said carelessly that it made no difference if they 
halted there or close by the road, and, a fire being speedily 
lit, they bivouacked round it. Meinik had procured the neces- 
sary dyes from a village, and Stanley was again stained, and 
covered with tattoo marks, as before. 

What am I to do about your hair, master ? ” he asked. 
‘‘ It will never do for you to go like this.” 

Stanley had not thought of this point, and for a time was 
completely at a loss. His own hair was now short and could 
not possibly be turned up. 

‘<The only thing that I can see,” he said after a long 
pause, “ is for you and the men each to cut off a lock of hair 
from the top of your heads where it will not show. The six 
locks would be ample; but I don’t see how you are to fasten 
it below the turban.” 

There are berries we can get wax from,” Meinik said. 
“We boil them in water, and the wax floats at the top. 
With that, master, we could fasten the hair in among yours, so 
that it would look all right.” 

The men had all laughed at the proposal, but willingly 
consented to part with a portion of their hair. Meinik 
therefore proceeded to stain Stanley’s close crop black, and 
the first thing in the morning the boys went out, soon return- 
ing with a quantity of berries. Some water was poured over 
them in an earthenware pot and placed over the fire, and in 
half an hour a thick scum of oil gathered on the surface. 
Meinik skimmed it off as fast as it formed, and as it cooled it 
solidified into a tenacious mass somewhat resembling cobblers’ 
wax. The six locks of hair had already been cut off, and the 
ends were smeared with the wax and worked in among Stan- 

14 


210 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


ley’s own hair ; then a little of the hot wax was rubbed in, 
and the men all declared that no one would notice anything 
peculiar in his appearance. The long tresses were curled 
round at the top of the head and a ring of muslin tied round. 
The Burmans were immensely amused at the transformation 
that had been wrought in Stanley’s appearance, and followed 
him through the wood to the temple without any signs of 
nervousness. 

The ruins were extensive. A considerable portion of the 
building had been hewn out of the face of a precipitous rock 
in the manner of some Hindoo temples ; and it was evident 
that it had been the work of a people more closely allied to the 
Indian race than to the Tartar or Chinese people, from whom 
the Burmese sprung. Uncouth figures were sculptured on 
the walls. At these the Burmese looked with some awe, but 
as Stanley laughed and joked over them, they soon recovered 
their usual demeanour. 

am a great deal more afraid of tigers than of ghosts,” 
Stanley said; ‘‘a deserted place like this is just the sort of 
spot they would be likely to be in. At any rate, if these 
caves do not go any further into the hill, and there are no 
signs of their doing so, it may be hoped that the tigers have 
their superstitions about it, too. At any rate, it will be a good 
thing to pile a great quantity of firewood at the entrance ; 
and I think one of you had better stay here with the boys. 
They and the horses would be a great deal safer here, with a 
fire burning, than they would be in the woods, where a tiger 
might pounce upon them at any moment. As to this folly 
about spirits, it is only old women’s chatter.” 

The Burmese talked among themselves, and one of the men 
finally agreed to stay with the boys. An hour was spent in 
gathering a pile of brushwood and logs, and the man said that 
he and the two boys would gather plenty more during the day. 


HARRY CARRIED OFF 


211 


They were, at four o’clock, to take the horses down to the 
river, a mile distant, and let them drink their fill. They had 
brought with them a large bag of grain, which had been car- 
ried by the men, a quantity of plantains, and some fowls. 
Therefore, the party that were to remain would be well pro- 
vided. Moreover, in collecting the wood a score of snakes 
had been killed. Some of these and a chicken had been 
cooking while they were at work, and as soon as this was 
eaten they started for the town. When they came within a 
mile of it Stanley entered a plantation of fruit-trees, and 
Meinik and the four men went on. They returned in two 
hours with the news that a party of ten men had arrived in 
the town on the previous day with two prisoners. One, a 
coloured man, had been able to walk ; the other, a white 
man, had been carried in on a litter. They had both been 
lodged in the jail. 

By this time the conduct of the English towards the natives 
at Rangoon and the territory they occupied had had one 
good effect. Signally as they had been defeated by them, 
the Burmese had lost their individual hatred of the strangers. 
They knew that their wounded and prisoners always received 
kind treatment at their hands ; and although the court of 
Ava remained as arrogant and bigoted as ever, the people in 
lower Burma had learned to respect their invaders, and the 
few prisoners they had taken received much better treatment 
than those who had been captured at the commencement of 
the war. 

As soon as it was dusk Stanley went with Meinik into the 
town. It was a place of considerable size, with buildings at 
least equal to those at Prome. Toungoo had formed part of 
the kingdom of Pegu before it had been subdued by the Bur- 
mese. The peculiar and characteristic facial outline of the 
latter was here much less strongly marked, and in many cases 


212 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


entirely absent ; so Stanley felt that, even in daylight, he would 
pass without attracting any attention. The prison was sur- 
rounded by a strong and high bamboo fence, and in the space 
inclosed by this were eight or ten dwellings of the usual 
wooden construction. A dozen armed men were seated by a 
fire in the yard, and two sentries were carelessly leaning 
against the gate. 

‘‘ There should be no difficulty in getting in there with two 
rope-ladders — one to climb up with, and one to drop on the 
other side,” Stanley said. “You may be sure that most of 
the guard goTo sleep at night. The first thing to ascertain 
is which house the prisoners are kept in, and in the second 
place how my cousin is going on. We can do nothing until 
he is able to walk for a short distance. Let us move round to 
the other side of the inclosure. It may be that a sentry is 
posted at their door.” 

On getting to the other side and looking through the 
crevices between the bamboos, they could make out two fig- 
ures squatted by the door of one of the houses, and had no 
doubt that this was the one in which Harry Brooke was con- 
fined. 

“ Now, Meinik, the first thing is for you to go and buy a 
rope. When the place gets quite quiet we will make a loop 
and throw it over the top of the palisade behind that hut, 
then I will climb up and let myself down inside, and then 
crawl up to the hut and see what is going on there. If my 
cousin is alone I will endeavour to speak to him, but of course 
there may be a guard inside as well as at the door. If he is 
very ill there will probably be a light.” 

“ Let me go, master ! ” 

“ No, Meinik, I would rather go myself. I shall be able to 
judge how he is if I can catch a sight of him.” 


PREPARING A RESCUE 


213 


CHAPTER XIII 


PREPARING A RESCUE 



TANLEY remained where he was until Meinik returned 


O in half an hour with the rope. Stanley made a loop at 
one end, and then knotted it at distances of about a foot 
apart to enable him to climb it more easily. Then they 
waited until the guard-fire burnt down low, and most of the 
men went off into a hut a few yards distant, three only re- 
maining talking before the fire. Then Stanley moved round 
to the other side of the palisade, and, choosing a spot im- 
mediately behind the hut where the sentries were posted, 
threw up the rope. It needed many attempts before the loop 
caught at the top of one of the bamboos. As soon as it did 
so, he climbed up. He found that the position was an ex- 
ceedingly unpleasant one. The bamboos were all so cut that 
each of them terminated in three spikes, and so impossible 
was it to cross this that he had to slip down the rope again. 
On telling Meinik what was the matter, the latter at once 
took off his garment, and folded it up into a roll two feet 


long, 


If you lay that on the top, master, you will be able to 
cross. ’ ’ 

This time Stanley had little difficulty. On reaching the 
top he laid the roll on the bamboo spikes, and was able to 
raise himself on to it and sit there, while he pulled up the 
rope and dropped it on the inside. Descending, he at once 
began to crawl towards the hut. As he had seen before climb- 
ing, a light was burning within, and the window was at the 
back of the house. This was but some twenty yards from the 
palisade, and when he reached it he stood up and cautiously 


214 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


looked in. The Indian trooper was seated in a chair asleep, 
without his tunic. One arm was bandaged, and a blood- 
stained cloth was wrapped round his head. On a bamboo 
pallet, with a dark rug thrown over it, was another figure. 
The lamp on the wall gave too feeble a light for Stanley to be 
able to make out whether the figure lying there was Harry, 
but he had no doubt that it was so. In a low tone he said, 
in Hindustani, ‘‘Wake up, man!” The soldier moved a 
little. Stanley repeated the words in a somewhat louder tone, 
and the trooper sprang to his feet, and looked round in a 
bewildered way. 

“ Come to the window,” Stanley said ; *‘it is I, your of- 
ficer.” 

The man’s glance turned to the window ; but, surprised 
at seeing a Burmese peasant, as he supposed, instead of the 
officer, he stood hesitating. 

“ Come on,” Stanley said. “ I am Lieutenant Brooke.” 

The soldier recognized the voice, drew himself up, made 
the military salute, and then stepped to the window. 

“I have come,” Stanley said, “ to try and rescue Lieu- 
tenant Brooke and yourself. I have some friends without. 
How is he? ” 

“ He is very ill, sir. He is badly wounded, and is uncon- 
scious. Sometimes he lies for hours without moving, some- 
times he talks to himself, but as I cannot understand the lan- 
guage I know not what he says ; but sometimes he certainly 
calls upon you. He uses your name often. I do what I can 
for him, but it is very little. I bathe his forehead with 
water, and pour it between his lips. Of course he can eat 
nothing, but I keep the water my rice is boiled in, and when 
it is cool give it him to drink. There is some strength in it.” 

“Then nothing can be done at present,” Stanley said. 
“ To-morrow night I will bring some fruit. You can squeeze 


PREPARING A RESCUE 


215 


the juice of some limes into a little water, and give it to him. 
There is nothing better for fever. As soon as he is well 
enough for us to get him through the palisades, we will have a 
litter ready for him, and carry him olf ; but nothing can be 
done until then. How are you treated? ” 

“ They give me plenty of rice, sahib, and I am at liberty 
to go out into the courtyard in the daytime, and now that 
I know that you are near I shall have no fear. I have been 
expecting that they would send me to Ava, where, no doubt, 
they would kill me ; but I have thought most that if they were 
to send me away from here, and there was no one to look 
after the sahib, he would surely die.” 

At this moment Stanley felt a hand roughly placed on his 
shoulder. Turning round, he struck out with all his strength 
full in a man’s face, and he fell like a log. 

“If they ask you who was here,” he said hastily to the 
trooper, “say that you know not who it was. A Burmese 
came and spoke to you, but of course you thought that he was 
one of the guard.” 

Then he ran to the rope, climbed up, and as he got over 
pulled it up, and threw it down to Meinik, as he thought that 
there might be some difficulty in shaking it off from the bam- 
boo, then he dropped to the ground, bringing down the pad 
with him. 

“ Did you kill him,, master ? ” Meinik asked as they hur- 
ried away. “ I was watching the window and saw you talk- 
ing to someone inside ; then I saw a man suddenly come into 
the light and put his hand upon you, and saw you turn round, 
and he fell without a sound being heard.” 

“There is no fear of his being killed, Meinik. I simply 
hit him hard, and he went down, I have no doubt, stunned. 
It is unfortunate, but though they may set extra guards for a 
time I think they will not believe the man’s story ; or at any 


216 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


rate will suppose that it was only one of the guard, who, not 
being able to sleep, wandered round there and looked into the 
hut from behind. The worst of it is that I am afraid that 
there is no chance of my being able to take my cousin some 
limes and other fruit to-morrow night, as I said I would. He 
is very ill, and quite unconscious.” 

That is very bad, master ; I will try and take him in some 
fruit to-morrow. If they won’t let me in I will watch out- 
side the gates, and when one of the guard comes out will 
take him aside, and I have no doubt that for a small bribe he 
will carry in the fruit and give it to the trooper. I wonder 
that they put them into that hut with the window at the 
back. ’ ’ 

I don’t suppose they would have done so if my cousin 
had not been so ill that it was evident that he could not for 
some time attempt to escape.” 

They joined the villagers outside the town, and telling them 
that there was nothing to do that night, returned to the 
temple. They found the man and the two boys sitting by a 
great fire, but shivering with terror. 

“ What is the matter ? ” Stanley asked. 

“ The spirits have been making all sorts of noises outside, 
and there are other noises at the end of the cave, close to 
the horses.” 

Stanley took a brand and went over to them. They were 
both munching their grain quietly. 

Well, you see the horses are not frightened ; so you may 
be sure that whatever were the noises you heard, there was 
nothing unnatural about them. What were they like? ” 

The question was not answered, for at that moment a 
sound like a loud deep sigh was heard overhead. The natives 
started back, and even Stanley felt for a moment uncomfort- 
able. 


PREPARING A RESCUE 


217 


“ It is only the wind,” he said. “There must be some 
opening above there, and the wind makes a noise in it just as 
it does in a chimney. We will see all about it in the morn- 
ing. Now as to the noises outside.” 

“They were wailing cries,” the man said. 

“ Pooh! they must have been tigers or leopards, or per- 
haps only wild cats. No doubt they smelt you and the 
horses, but were too much afraid of the fire to come any 
nearer. Why, you must have heard tigers often enough to 
know their cries. ’ ’ 

“I thought myself that they were tigers,” the man said 
rather shamefacedly, “ but the boys said they were certain 
that they were not, and I was not sure myself one way or 
the other.” 

Sitting down by the fire, Stanley told the men the exact 
position of the i)risoners, and .said that he feared it would be 
altogether impossible to get Harry out for the present. 

“ I would give anything to have him here,” he said ; “ but 
it would be impossible to get him over the palisade.” 

“ We might cut through it, master ; ” Meinik said, “ with 
a sharp saw we could cut a hole big enough in an hour to 
carry his litter out. The only thing is, we could not get his 
bed through that window.” 

“ We might get over that by making a narrow litter,” 
Stanley said, “ and lifting him from the bed on to it. The 
difficulty would be, what to do with him when we got him 
out; as to carrying him any distance in his present state it 
would be out of the question ; besides, the guard are sure to 
be vigilant for some considerable time. I think that the best 
plan would be for you all to go back to your village to-morrow, 
taking the horses with you, and for one of you to come over 
every other day for orders. Then there would be no occasion 
for anyone to watch the horses ; they certainly will be of no 


218 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


use to US at present, for it will be weeks before my cousin is 
strong enough to ride. Meinik and I will take up our abode 
close to the edge of the forest, for that will save us some four 
or five miles’ walk each day. The first thing in the morning 
you shall go with me and choose a spot, so that you may both 
know where to find us. Two of you have got axes, and we 
will make a shelter in a tree, so as to be able to sleep without 
fear of tigers when we go out there, though I dare say that we 
shall generally sleep near the town. However, one or other 
of us will always be at the spot at mid-day on the days when 
you are to meet us. Now that I think of it, two of you may 
as well stay at the shelter for the present while the other three 
and the two boys go home. Then there will be no occasion 
to take the long journey so often. When we do get my cousin 
out we shall have to take up our abode for a time either here 
or in the forest, until he is well enough to bear the journey.” 

In the morning Stanley closely examined the roof of the 
cave, but could see no opening to account for the noise that 
he had heard. He had, however, no doubt that one ex- 
isted somewhere. He left a man with the two boys in charge 
of the horses, and went with the others until they approached 
the edge of the forest. They kept along within the trees for 
half a mile, so that any fire they might light would be unseen 
by people travelling along the road. The men considered this 
precaution needless, as they declared that no one would vent- 
ure to pass along it after nightfall, partly owing to the fear of 
tigers, and partly to the vicinity of the temple. A suitable 
tree was soon fixed on, and the Burmese, now in their ele- 
ment, ascended it by driving in pegs at distances of two feet 
apart. Once among the high branches they lopped off all 
small boughs that would be in the way, and then, descending, 
cut a number of poles and many lengths of tough creeper, 
and with these they constructed a platform among the higher 


PREPARING A RESCUE 


219 


branches, and on it erected a sort of arbour, amply sufficient 
to hold four or five people lying down. This arbour would 
hardly be noticed even by persons searching, as it was to a 
great extent hidden by the foliage beneath it. Stanley told 
Meinik that they had better buy some rope for a ladder, and 
take out the pegs, as these might catch the eye of a passer-by, 
and cause him to make a close search above. 

As soon as the work was finished two of the men went back 
to the temple to start at once for home with their companion, 
the boys, and the horses. Stanley had brought with him his 
pistols, the two horse blankets, and other things that might 
be usetul, and when these were stored above, he, with Meinik 
and the two men, went towards the town. He stopped, as be- 
fore, a short distance outside. Just as it was dusk the men 
returned carrying the rope that Meinik had bought, and a 
store of food. With these they were sent to the shelter, and 
Stanley entered the town, where he met Meinik. 

“ I have sent in the fruit,” the latter said ; I had no dif- 
ficulty about it. I told the first soldier who came out after 
I had bought it that I came from the village where the 
white officer had been captured by the bandits. He had been 
very kind to us all, and as we knew that he had been carried 
off badly wounded, I had come over to get some fruit for him, 
but I found that they would not let me in at the gate. I said 
I would give an ounce of silver to him if he would hand the 
things to the prisoner for me. He said at once that he would 
do so. He had heard that the whites always treated their 
wounded prisoners very well, and that there would be no 
difficulty about it, for that there was a window at the back 
of the hut where he was lying, and he could easily pass 
things in there without anyone noticing it. If the prisoner 
was, as I said, a good man, it was only right that he should be 
helped. I told him that I should look out for him, and might 


220 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


want him to do the same another day. I think that he was 
an honest fellow, and might have passed the fruit in even with- 
out a reward. Still, everyone is glad to earn a little money. 
He told me that a strange thing had happened last night. One 
of his comrades had declared that he had found a giant stand- 
ing at the window where the prisoner was. He put his hand 
upon him when he was struck down by lightning. No one 
would have believed his tale at all if it had not been that his 
nose was broken. The other prisoner had been questioned, but 
as he did not understand Burmese, they could learn nothing 
from him. Two guards were in future to be placed at the 
back of the house as well as in the front. ’ ’ 

“ That part of the business is bad, Meinik.” 

“ I dare say we shall be able to bribe them, master. You 
may be sure that most of them are eager to get back to their 
own villages, and for a few ounces of silver they would be 
glad enough to help us and then to make their escape and go 
off to their homes. The man I saw to-day might find one 
among them ready to do so with him, especially if their homes 
happened to be on the other side of the hills : and there would 
then be no chance of their being seized and sent back again 
by their head-man. The sentry would only have to let us 
know what night he would arrange for them both to be on 
guard together behind the hut ; then we should be able to 
manage it well. ’ ’ 

It would be a capital plan that, Meinik, if it could be 
arranged. Well, it is a great comfort to know that the fruit 
has got in safely ; the limes especially will be a great help to 
my cousin. Next time you see the man you must try and get 
him to find out how he is going on.” 

For a fortnight Stanley remained in the forest. Meinik 
met the soldier every other day, and sent in fruit, and at the 
end of the ten days he heard that the prisoner had recovered 


PREPARING A RESCUE 


221 


his senses. It was said that as soon as he was well enough 
to move he was to be sent to Ava. 

“ Now you had better begin to sound the man as to his 
willingness to aid him to escape.” 

“ I have very little doubt about it, master, for I have al- 
ready learned that his home is on the other side of the hills. 
He went down with Bandoola, and returned after his defeat 
with a number of others, travelling up the bank of the Pegu 
river. If they had not had their military chief with them 
they would have started straight for home. But they were 
marched here, and have been kept on duty in the town ever 
since. He has heard how well off the people are on the other 
side of the hills under English rule ; so I feel sure that he will 
be glad to escape if he sees a chance of getting off.” 

That is good. In the first place, let him know that the 
other English officer who was at the village with the one they 
captured, had said that he would be ready to pay well anyone 
who would aid in his escape. If he says that he would will- 
ingly do so if he also could get away, tell him that one man 
would be of no use, but that if he could get another to join 
him, so that they could both go on guard together behind the 
house, it could be managed. But say that, in the first place, 
I must my.self speak to the white officer, and learn exactly how 
he is, and whether he can endure a journey as far as this tree 
or the temple — whichever we may decide upon as best. When 
I have seen him I will send for the other men from the village- 
I am in no hurry to get him away, for the longer he stays 
quiet the better. But at any moment the governor may de- 
cide that he is sufficiently recovered to be carried, and may 
send him off to Ava under a strong escort. Therefore, al- 
though we will put off moving him as long as possible, we 
must not run the risk of his being sent away.” 

Four days later Meinik said that the man had arranged 


222 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


with another to join him, and that both would be on duty be- 
hind the hut that evening between nine and midnight. Ac- 
cordingly at ten o’clock Stanley arrived with Meinik and the 
two villagers at the palisade. Meinik had insisted upon ac- 
companying him to the hut. 

I believe that the man is to be trusted, master, indeed 1 
am sure he is, but I do not know the second man. He may 
have pretended to accept the offer only on purpose to betray 
his comrade, and to obtain honour and reward for preventing 
the escape of the white man. Therefore, I must be with you 
in case you are attacked. Our other two men may be useful 
to give the alarm if a party is sent round to cut us off.” 

Stanley, who had brought a horse blanket with him to lay 
on the top of the palisade, was the first to drop into the in- 
closure. Meinik followed him closely. Nothing had been 
said to the guard as to the white officer, of whom Meinik had 
spoken, being himself of the party, and Stanley had purposely 
left his pistols behind him lest he should be tempted to 
use them. In case he was attacked he carried a spear and a 
long Burmese knife. Meinik had begged to be allowed to go 
forward first, while Stanley remained by the rope. He pointed 
out that some change might possibly have been made and 
that other men might have been placed on sentry. 

I know you, master,” he said ; “if you got there, and 
found two strangers, and they attacked you, you would fight ; 
then they would give the alarm, and others would come up 
before you could cross the palisade. I shall steal up ; when I 
am close I shall make a noise like the hiss of a snake. If my 
men are both there they will repeat the sound. If they are 
not, and one comes forward to look for and kill the snake, I 
shall slay him before he has time to utter a sound. If the 
other runs forward at the sound of his fall I shall kill him also. 
If no alarm is given you can come forward and speak to your 


PREPARING A RESCUE 


223 


cousin. If there is an alarm you must climb the rope. They 
will not know which way I have run, and I shall have plenty 
of time to get over the palisade and pull up the rope ; then 
they will think that the guards have been killed by some of 
their comrades.” 

“I hope no such misfortune will happen,” Stanley said 
gravely, for there would then be no chance whatever of pur 
getting him away. He would probably be moved to some 
other place, and our one hope would be that we might rescue 
him on the road, which would be a difficult matter indeed if 
he were sent, as he certainly would be, under a strong escort. 
However, your plan is no doubt the best, for if I were killed 
or captured there would be an end of any chance of his being 
rescued.” 

Meinik crawled forward, and in a minute or two Stanley 
heard a low hissing sound, followed by two others. He 
walked forward a step or two to meet Meinik as he came 
back. 

It is all right, master; you can go on fearlessly.” 
Meinik returned with him to the window and posted himself 
outside, standing in the shadow, while Stanley stepped in 
through the open casement, which, indeed, was provided only 
with a shutter, outside. This would ordinarily have been 
closed; but owing to the illness of the prisoner and the 
strong desire of the governor that he should live to be sent to 
Ava, it had been opened to allow a free passage of air. The 
trooper sprung from his couch as Stanley made a slight sound 
before attempting to enter, but Stanley said in Hindustani, 
“ Silence ! it is I, — Mr. Brooke.” 

The trooper stared doubtfully at the dark, tattooed, half- 
naked figure. 

^‘It is I, Runkoor, but I am disguised. I was like this 
when I spoke to you through the window a fortnight since. 


224 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


but you could not then see my figure. Are you awake, 
Harry ? ” he asked in English, as he approached the pallet. 

Yes, I am awake; at least I think so. Is it really you, 
Stanley ? ’ ’ 

It is I, sure enough, man,” Stanley replied, as he pressed 
the thin hands of the invalid. ‘‘ Did not Runkoor tell you 
that I had been here before ? ’ ’ 

But Harry had broken down altogether ; the surprise and 
delight was too much for him in his weak state. 

“ Of course,” Stanley went on quietly, “ I knew that he 
could not speak English, but I thought that he might make 
signs. ’ ’ 

“ He did make a sign. Each time he gave me fruit, he 
said ‘ Sahib Brooke,’ pointed outside, and waved his arms 
about, but I could not make head or tail of what he meant. 
Why he should keep on repeating my name each time he 
gave me the fruit was a complete puzzle for me; as to the 
signs that he made it seemed to me that he had gone off his 
head. I have been too weak to think it over, so I gave up 
worrying about it, and it never once struck me that it was 
you who sent me the fruit. What an awful figure you are ! ’ ’ 

“ Never mind about that, Harry. I have come in to see 
how strong you are. I have bribed the two guards stationed 
behind.” 

“ I can just sit up in bed to take my food, Stanley, that 
is all ; I could not walk a step to save my life. ’ ’ 

I did not expect you to walk. What I want to know is 
whether you are strong enough to be carried a few miles 
on a litter. I have five men from the village where we were, 
and they can cut through the palisading behind the hut. I 
want to give you as long a time as possible, but I am afraid 
that any day the governor may have you taken out and 
sent in a litter to Ava, under a strong escort.” 


PREPARING A RESCUE 


225 


“ I could bear being carried out, no doubt, but if I could 
not, I should think it would do me no harm so long as my 
wounds do not break out afresh. I suppose the worst that 
could happen to me would be that I should faint before I got 
to the end of the journey. Are you sure, old man, that this 
is not a dream ? ’ ’ 

‘‘Quite certain; if you were well enough I would give 
you a sharp pinch. If you are willing to venture I will make 
my preparations at once. I have to send to the village, but 
in three days I shall be ready, and the first night after that the 
men manage to be on guard together behind, we shall be here. 
It may be a week, it may be more, but at any rate don’t worry 
about it if they take you away suddenly. I shall try to get 
you out of their hands somehow.” 

“ My dear Stanley,” Harry said, with a feeble laugh, “ do 
you know that you are spoiling your chance of an earldom ? ’ ’ 

“You may take it that if you don’t succeed to the title, 
old fellow, I sha’n’t, for if you go under I shall too. Now 
good-bye ; it would be fatal were I to be caught here. Try 
to get yourself as strong as you can, but don’t let them notice 
that you are doing so.” 

Without giving Harry time to reply, Stanley pressed his 
hand and left his bedside. He paused for a minute to in- 
form the trooper of the plans for the escape, and then he got 
through the window. Meinik joined him at once, and with- 
out a word being spoken they crossed the palisade, threw 
down the rope and blankets, and dropped after them to the 
ground. 

On their way back to their tree Stanley told the two men 
that the officer was better, and that the next morning at day- 
break one of them must start for the village to fetch their three 
comrades. The boys were also to come back with him, as 
they were big fellows and carried spears, and might, as Stan- 

15 


226 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


ley thought, be useful either in a fight or in assisting to carry 
Harry. 

On the following morning after the man had started, 
Stanley went with Meinik to examine the temple more closely 
than he had done before. He thought that it would be a far 
better hiding place than their hut in the tree. There would 
certainly be a hot pursuit, and the next day they might be 
discovered, whether in the temple or in the tree, but in the 
latter they would be powerless to defend themselves, for the 
Burmese with their axes would be able to fell it in a few min- 
utes, whereas in the temple a stout defence might be made for 
a time ; moreover, the rock chambers would be far cooler in 
the middle of the day than the hut. 

His chief object in visiting the temple was to find a cham- 
ber with a narrow entrance that could be held by half a dozen 
men against a number of foes; and it was desirable, if possi- 
ble, to find one so situated that they might, in case of neces- 
sity, retreat into another chamber, or into the open air. Meinik 
was so confident in the white man’s power to combat even evil 
spirits that he approached the temple with Stanley without 
betraying any nervousness. They had provided themselves 
with some torches of resinous wood, and Meinik carried a 
couple of brands from their fire. The chamber they had 
before been in was apparently the largest in the temple, but 
there were several other openings in the rock. 

That is the entrance we will try first,” Stanley said, point- 
ing to one some ten feet from the ground. “ You see there 
were once some steps leading up to it. No doubt where we are 
standing there was a temple built against the face of that rock, 
and probably that doorway led into one of the priests’ cham- 
bers.” It was necessary to pile three or four blocks of stone 
on the top of the two steps that alone remained intact, in 
order to enable them to reach the entrance. 



THE GREAT SNAKE MOVED HIS HEAD HIGHER AND HIGHER 

HISSING ANGRILY. 




• •' • 



PREPARING A RESCUE 


237 


Let me light the torches before you go in,” Meinik said. 

There may be snakes. ’ ’ 

“ That is hardly likely, Meinik. You see the face of the 
rock has been chiselled flat, and I don’t think any snake could 
climb up to that entrance. ’ ’ 

Perhaps not, master, but it is best to be ready for them.” 

They lighted two torches, and passed through the door- 
way. There was an angry hiss some distance away. 

That is a snake, sure enough, Meinik. I wonder how it 
got here.” 

Holding their torches above their heads, they saw that the 
chamber was some fourteen feet wide and twenty long. In 
the corner to the left something was lying, and above it a dark 
object was moving backwards and forwards. 

‘‘It is a big boa,” Meinik said. “Now, master, do you 
take the two torches in one hand and have your knife ready 
in the other. If it coils round you, cut through it at once. 
This is a good place for fighting it, for there is nothing here 
for it to get its tail round, and a boa cannot squeeze very hard 
unless he does that.” 

Stanley, feeling that in a combat of this sort the Burman 
would be perfectly at home, while he himself knew nothing 
about it, did as he was told, determining to rush in should it 
attack his follower. 

“You can advance straight towards him, master; I will 
steal round. He will be watching you, and I may get a cut 
at him before he notices me.” 

Stanley moved slowly forward. As he did so the great snake 
moved its head higher and higher, hissing angrily, with its eyes 
fixed on the torches. Stanley did not take his gaze from it, 
but advanced grasping his knife. He knew that the boa’s bite 
was harmless, and that it was only its embrace that was to be 
feared. He was within some eight feet of the reptile, when 


228 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


there was a spring. The snake’s head disappeared, and in a 
moment it was writhing, twisting, and lashing its tail so 
quickly that his eyes could hardly follow its contortions. 

“ Stand back, master,” Meinik shouted. “If its tail 
' strikes you it might do you an injury. It is harmless other- 
wise. I have cut its head off.” 

Stanley stepped back a pace or two, and stood gazing in 
awe at the tremendous writhing of the headless snake. 

“ It is a monster, Meinik,” he said. 

“ It is a big snake, master. Indeed, I should say that it 
must be about forty feet long, and it is as thick as my body. 
It would be more than a match for a tiger. ’ ’ 

“ Well, I hope there are not many more of them about, 
Meinik.” 

“That depends, master; it may have its mate, but it is 
more likely there will be no other. It would eat any smaller 
ones of its own kind, of course, but there may be some small 
poisonous ones about.” 

As the writhing of the snake ceased, Stanley looked round 
and saw a narrow doorway in the corner opposite that in 
which it had been lying. 

‘ ‘ Here is a passage, Meinik. Let us see where it goes to. ’ ’ 

Meinik had by this time lighted two more torches. 

“The more light the better,” he said, “when you are 
looking for snakes; ” and, holding them in one hand and his 
knife in the other, he passed through the doorway, which was' 
about four feet high. Stanley followed him. The apartment 
was similar to the last, but narrower, and was lighted by an 
opening not more than a foot square. 

“ See, Meinik, there is a staircase in the corner facing 
us.” 

The steps were very narrow, but in perfect preservation. 
Without staying to examine the room, Meinik led the way up, 


PREPARING A RESCUE 


229 


examining every step carefully, and holding the knife in readi- 
ness to strike. They mounted some forty steps, and then en- 
tered a room about ten feet square. Except a window some 
eighteen inches by three feet, there was no apparent exit from 
the chamber. 

“ I should think that there must be some way out of this 
place, Meinik. Why should they have taken the trouble to 
cut that long flight of steps through the rock just to reach this 
miserable little chamber ? ” 

Meinik shook his head. The ways of these ancient build- 
ers were beyond him. 

There must be an outlet somewhere, if we could but 
find it. Besides, we have not found where the snake came in 
yet.” 

‘ ‘ He could have come in at the door, master. A small 
snake could not have climbed up, but that big fellow could 
rear his head up and come in quite easily ; we have found no 
little snakes at all.” 

“ Well, that may be so, but I still think that there must be 
some way out from here. Why should men go to the labour of 
cutting this long stair and excavating this chamber here with- 
out any reason whatever? Let us look through the window, 
Meinik. ” 

It was a passage rather than a window, for the rock face 
had been left four feet in thickness. CrawKng out, Stanley 
saw that he was fifty feet above the foot of the cliff, a yard 
below him was a ledge of rock some two feet wide, it was 
level, and had deep grooves cut at regular intervals across it. 
He had no doubt that the roof of the outside temple had 
started from this point, and that the grooves were made for 
the ends of massive rafters of teak or stone. At that time the 
passage to the chamber that he had left was doubtless used for 
an exit on to the flat roof. Stepping on to the ledge, he 


280 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


called Meinik to him. Now, Meinik,” he said, “ we will 
follow this ledge ; there may be some way up from it. ’ ’ 

Walking with a good deal of care, Stanley made his way 
along to a point where the ledge stopped abruptly. Looking 
down, he saw the remains of a wall of solid masonry, and per- 
ceived that he had been correct in his surmise as to the pur- 
pose of the ledge. Then they turned and went back to the 
other end of the ledge. A few feet before they reached this 
Meinik, who was now leading the way, stopped. 

‘ ‘ Here is a passage, master. ’ ’ 

The entrance was about the same size as that through which 
they had stepped out on to the ledge, but instead of going 
straight in, it started upwards. 

“ Another flight of steps, Meinik. I am beginning to hope 
that we shall find some way out at the top. If we can do so, 
it will make us safe. We could defend those stairs and the 
entrance for a long time, and when we wanted to get away we 
could make quietly off without anyone knowing that we had 


left.” 


CHAPTER XIV 


IN THE TEMPLE 



HEY went up the flight of steps for a considerable dis- 


1 tance ; then they found the passage blocked by a num- 
ber of great stones. Stanley uttered an exclamation of dis- 


gust. 


It has fallen in,” he said. “ No doubt we are near the 
top of the rock. Either the staircase was roofed in or there 
was a building erected over the entrance, and either the roof 


IN THE TEMPLE 


231 


or building, whichever it was, has fallen in. That is very un- 
lucky. When we go down we will climb up the hill and see 
if we can discover anything about it. With plenty of food 
and water,” he went on, as they descended into the lowest 
chamber, one could hold this place for any time.” 

Yes, master, one could store away the food, but where 
should we store the water ? We might bring skins in that 
would last us for a week, perhaps two weeks, but after that? ” 

After that we should make our way off somehow, Mei- 
nik,” Stanley said confidently. '‘Well, there is no doubt 
that this is the place to shelter in ; they are less likely to find 
us here than anywhere, and if they do find us, we can defend 
ourselves stoutly. I should say, too, that if we think it over, 
we ought to be able to hit upon some plan for making noises 
that would frighten them. You know how scared the man 
and the two boys were at that sighing sound in the other 
chamber. We certainly could make more alarming noises 
than that.” 

Meinik nodded. "That we could, master. With some 
reeds of different sizes I could make noises, some as deep as 
the roar of a tiger, and others like the singing of a bird.” 

" Then we will certainly bring some reeds in here with us, 
Meinik. I don’t suppose they will mind in the daytime what 
sounds they hear ; but at night I don’t think even their offi- 
cers would care to move about here if we can but make a few 
noises they do not understand. Well, for the present we have 
done our work here, and you had best go off with the Burman 
to buy food to serve in case of a siege. You had better go to 
some of the cultivators’ houses near the edge of the wood for 
rice and fruit ; if you can get the food there you will be able to 
make two or three journeys a day instead of one. But before 
we start back, we will climb round to the top of the hill and 
see what has happened to shut up the staircase.” 


232 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


It took them a quarter of an hour’s climbing through the 
forest and undergrowth before they reached the upper edge of 
the rock wall in which the chambers had been excavated. It 
had evidently, in the first place, been a natural cliff, for when 
on the ledge, Stanley had noticed that while below that point 
the rock was as smooth as a built wall, above it was rough, 
and evidently untouched by the hand of man. Following the 
edge of the cliff until standing as nearly as they could guess 
above the entrance to the steps, they walked back among the 
trees ; at a distance of some thirty yards they came upon a, 
ruin. It was built of massive stones, like those which strewed 
the ground where the temple had stood. A great tree rose on 
one side, and it was evident that its growth had, in the first 
place, overthrown the wall at this point ; climbers and shrubs 
had thrust their roots in between the blocks that had been but 
slightly moved by the growth of the tree, and had in time 
forced them asunder, and so gradually the whole building had 
collapsed. 

“ This tree must be a very old one,” Stanley said, looking 
up at it, for it is evident that this wall was thrown down a 
great many years ago.” 

“ Very old, master; it is one of our hardest woods, and 
such trees live, they say, five or six hundred years. There are 
some which are known to be even older than that.” 

“ Well, it is clear that the staircase came up here, but we 
have no means of knowing how far the point we reached is 
below this. I should say that the stones we saw are the re- 
mains of the pavement and roof, for you see these great blocks 
that formed the walls don’t go as far as the middle, where 
there is a great depression ; still, of course, the steps may have 
come up on one side or the other, and not just in the middle 
of this little temple ; for, no doubt, it was a temple. Now 
you see the reason for the steps up to that little square room 


IN THE TEMPLE 


233 


are explained. Probably those three chambers were the apart- 
ments of the principal priests, and from them they could either 
go out on to the roof of the temple, or could, by taking the 
upper staircase to this point, leave or enter without observa- 
tion. Now let us be off.” 

On arriving at their tree -shelter they found that the Bur- 
man had got a meal ready, and after partaking of this, Mei- 
nik, with the man, started to buy provisions. It was fortu- 
nate that Stanley had, before starting from Prome, drawn some 
twenty pounds’ worth of silver from the paymaster. He had 
expected to be away for three or four weeks, and during that 
time would have had to buy provisions for himself, Harry, and 
the four troopers, and might possibly have occasion for money 
for other matters. He had not paid the men from the vil- 
lage ; for he knew that one of these would willingly accom- 
pany him to Prome to receive payment for them all. A very 
small amount of silver sufficed for the purchase of a consider- 
able quantity of food in Burma. Fruit, of which many kinds 
grew wild in the woods, was extremely cheap, as was rice and 
grain. Therefore, as yet, with the exception of the small 
sum expended in Toungoo, his money was virtually un- 
touched. 

The two Burmans made three journeys before nightfall, and 
returned each time with large baskets of fruit, grain, and rice. 
On the following morning they went into the town and bought 
six of the largest sized water-skins, such as are carried for the 
use of the troops in India, one on each side of a bullock. As 
soon as they returned with these they started for the temple. 
At a stream about a hundred yards from the entrance they par- 
tially filled one of the skins, and placing a strong bamboo 
through the straps sewn on it for the purpose, Meinik and the 
Burmans carried it to the temple, and, with Stanley’s assist- 
ance, lifted it into the lower chamber. The others were 


234 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


one by one placed beside it, then water was carried in the 
smaller skins and poured in until they were all as full as they 
could hold. 

“ There is water enough to last us for a month, if needs 
be,” Stanley said, as, after securely tying up the mouths, they 
laid the skins down, side by side. The smaller mussucks were 
then filled and placed with the large skins, and then, having 
done a long day’s work, they returned to their tree just as the 
sun was setting. The four men and two boys were already 
there, they having done the sixty miles from the village with- 
out a halt. They had already cooked some rice and some 
slices of venison, which Meinik had brought with the water- 
skins from the town that morning, and were now lying smok- 
ing their cigars with placid contentment. 

For the next six days Meinik went to the town every after- 
noon. On his return on the last evening he said that the 
guard had told him that the governor had paid a visit to the 
prison that day and had seen the white captive, and had de- 
cided that he was now well enough to travel, and that in two 
days’ time he was to start for Ava, the court having sent down 
an urgent order that he should be carried there as soon as he 
was well enough to bear the fatigue. 

“Then to-morrow we must get him out,” Stanley said. 
“ Will our two men be on duty ? ” 

“ Yes, master, they have not been on since the last night 
we were there. They will form the second watch, and will go 
on guard at midnight. I have bought two very sharp saws, 
and have cut two strong bamboos for the litter.” 

This was constructed the next day. It was very simple, 
being formed by sewing a blanket strongly to the two bam- 
boos. Two slighter bamboos, each four feet long, were tied 
loosely to the main poles. These were to be lashed across as 
soon as they had got beyond the palisade, so as to keep the poles 


IN THE TEMPLE 


235 


three feet apart, which, as the blanket was four feet from pole 
to pole, would allow it to bag comfortably. The cross pieces 
could not be attached until they were beyond the palisade, 
for the window was but two feet wide, and it was therefore 
proposed to make the gap through the palisade the same width 
only. Late in the evening they entered the town and sat 
down in a deserted corner until the time came for them to 
begin their work. At last Meinik said that, by the stars, it 
was already past midnight, and they then proceeded to the 
spot where they had before climbed the palisade. Here they 
at once set to work. The saws were well oiled, and in a very 
few minutes five bamboos were cut away at the level of the 
ground and six feet above it ; as the stockade was bound to- 
gether by cross pieces behind, the other portions of the bam- 
boos remained in their places. Meinik and Stanley went first, 
followed by three of the Burmans, one of whom carried the 
litter. The other two Burmans with the boys remained on 
guard at the opening. 

All were barefooted, except that Stanley wore a pair of the 
lightest leather sandals. They went noiselessly up to the win- 
dow, the guard as before responding to Meinik’s hiss. With- 
out a word one after another entered the chamber. The 
trooper had been sitting at the table, evidently anxiously ex- 
pecting their arrival. Stanley went up to the bed. 

“ Are you better, Harry ? ” he asked in a whisper. 

‘‘ Better, but still weak.” 

Everything had been arrai^ed beforehand. The litter was 
laid down on the ground, with the poles as far apart as possi- 
ble. Then Stanley made a sign to the trooper to take one 
end of the rug on which Harry was lying, while he took the 
other. The Burmans ranged themselves on each side, and 
the blanket was lifted up with the occupant and the 
pillow composed of his clothes, and laid quietly on to the 


236 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


blanket of the litter, Then two Burmans went outside while 
the other four men lifted the poles and carried one end to the 
window. The Burmans outside held the ends well above their 
heads, Stanley and the trooper raising their hands similarly. 
The other Burmans then crawled under it out of the window. 
As the litter was moved forward through the window, they 
took the places of Stanley and the trooper at the poles and 
silently moved on towards the palisade. Stanley and Meinik 
followed, joined by the two Burmese guards. Not the slight- 
est sound was made as the eight men crossed the short dis- 
tance to the palisade and passed through the opening, where 
the others, spear in hand, were awaiting them, ready to rush 
in and take part in the fray should an alarm be given. Stan- 
ley breathed a great sigh of relief as they passed out ; a few 
paces further they halted and the cross pieces were lashed to 
the poles. 

Thank God that you are out, Harry ! ” Stanley said, as 
soon as they did this. Has it hurt you much ? ” 

Nothing to speak of,” Harry replied; you managed it 
marvellously. Am I really outside the place altogether ? ” 

Yes, fairly out. You will be more comfortable when we 
have lashed these cross pieces ; you will not be lying then at 
the bottom of a bag, as you are now.” 

When the work was completed, they proceeded at a rapid 
pace, for Harry’s weight, reduced by fever as he had been, 
was a trifle to his bearers. The others followed close behind, 
and in a quarter of an hour they were well beyond the town. 
Stanley spoke to Harry once or twice, but received no an- 
swer ; so he had no doubt that his cousin had dozed quietly 
off to sleep. The gentle motion of the litter would be likely 
to have that effect, especially as Harry had probably been 
lying awake for the last night or two, listening for the friends 
who might arrive at any time. 


IN THE TEMPLE 


237 


When they reached the confines of the forest the torches, 
which had been carried by the boys, were all lit, and each 
carried two, with the exception of the bearers, who had but 
one each, while all kept close together round the litter. They 
waved their torches as they went ; and although they heard 
the cries of several tigers in the forest, they had no fear of be- 
ing attacked, as so many waving lights would deter the most 
hungry beast from venturing near. 

Once in the chamber at the temple the litter was laid down 
on a pile of reeds and leaves, that had been gathered the day 
before, together with a great store of brushwood and logs, 
Harry still sleeping quietly. In a short time a bright fire was 
blazing, and with this and the light of the torches the cham- 
ber assumed quite a cheerful appearance. On the way Stan- 
ley had spoken to the two guards, thanked them for their ser- 
vice, and assured them that they would receive the reward 
promised by Meinik. 

'' I am the British officer,” he said, who was at the vil- 
lage with my friend, though I was absent when he was carried 
off. As you see, I am disguised.” 

Both had shown signs of uneasiness when they approached 
the temple, but Meinik had assured them that the spirits would 
not venture to approach a party having a white man with 
them, and that a night had already been passed in the temple 
without any harm coming of it. A meal, consisting of slices 
of venison, was at once prepared, and when this was eaten, 
and the whole party had lighted cigars, their spirits rose at the 
success of the enterprise. The soldiers, however, had been 
disappointed at hearing that there was going to be a stay for 
some little time there, to enable the wounded man to gain 
strength. 

“We may not stop long,” Stanley said; ‘^but, you see, 
with the litter we could not travel fast, and you may be sure 


238 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


by this time the alarm has been given, for when they came to 
relieve you at the end of three hours it would be found that 
you were missing, and then they would at once discover that 
the captives had gone too. By daybreak the whole garrison 
will be out. How many are there of them ? ’ ’ 

There are three thousand men in the town,” the guard said. 
‘‘After a party of your soldiers came within a short distance 
of it two months ago, fifteen hundred men were added to the 
garrison.” 

“ Well, you see, with three thousand men they could scour 
all the woods, and if they overtook us we should be unable to 
make any defence. Here we may hope that they will not 
discover us, but if they do we can make a desperate resistance, 
for, as only one man can enter that door at a time, it would 
be next to impossible for them to force their way in. You 
have your guns, and I have a brace of pistols, and as all the 
others have spears, it will be as much as the three thousand 
men could do to get in through that door. If they did, there 
is a still narrower door in the corner to defend, and beyond 
that there is a long, narrow, steep flight of stairs that one man 
could hold against a host. The first thing in the morning, 
we will carry our stores to the upper chamber. We have 
water and rice enough to last us for a month if we are care- 
ful, so that, although I hope they won’t find us, I shall not be 
at all afraid of our beating them off if they do so.” 

As soon as it was daylight the stones that had been added 
to the steps at the doorway were flung down, and then by 
their united efforts the two remaining steps were removed. 
Then they helped each other up, the last man being aided by 
two of his comrades above. 

“There,” Stanley said ; “if they do come to search for 
us they are not likely to suspect that we have got a badly 
wounded man up here. They may search the big chamber 


IN THE TEMPLE 


239 


that we were in before, and any others there may be on the 
same level ; but this narrow entrance, ten feet above them, 
is scarcely likely to attract their attention. If it does, as I 
said, we must fight it out, but^ it will be a wonderfully hard 
nut for them to crack.” 

He then ordered the men to carry all the stores to the 
upper chamber. Just as they began the work there was a 
slight movement on the bed. Stanley at once went up to it. 
Harry was looking round in a bewildered way. 

‘‘Well, Harry, how are you feeling? You have had a 
capital sleep.” 

“ Oh, is it you, Stanley? I was not quite sure but that I 
was dreaming. Where am I ? I must have gone off to sleep 
directly we started, for I don’t remember anything after you 
spoke to me when they were making the hammock more com- 
fortable. ’ ’ 

“ You are in a temple some four or five thousand years old, 
I should say, and this is a rock chamber. The temple itself 
is in ruins. We are ten miles from Toungoo, and shall wait 
here till the pursuit for you has slackened. In another week 
you will be more fit to move than you are at present. I should 
not like to carry you far as you are now ; besides, if we had 
pushed on, they would have been sure to overtake us, for these 
fellows can run like hares.” 

“ But why should not they find us here, Stanley? ” 

“ Well, of course, they may do so, but the entrance to this 
chamber is ten feet above the ground ; and another thing is, 
they have all sorts of superstitions about the place. Nothing 
would induce them to approach it after nightfall, and even 
in the daytime they don’t like coming near it. Lastly, if 
they do find us, it will take them all their time to force their 
way in. I have five men and two young fellows quite capable 
of fighting ; then there are your two guards, Meinik, the 


240 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


trooper, and myself; so you see we muster twelve. We have 
two guns and a brace of pistols, and spears for us all, and if 
we cannot defend that narrow passage against any number of 
Burmans, we shall deserve our fate. Besides, there is another 
and even narrower door in the corner behind you. They 
would have to force that, and in the chamber beyond 
there is a narrow, straight staircase, some forty feet high, 
which a man with an axe ought to be able to hold against an 
army. They are taking the stores up there now. We 
have got provisions and water for a month. When every- 
thing is straight there we shall carry you up, and unless they 
sit down in front of this place and regularly starve us out, we 
are as safe as if we were in Prome.” 

‘ ^ I wish to goodness you had that hideous dye off you, 
Stanley. I know it is you by your voice, but what with the 
colour and all that tattooing and your extraordinary hair, I 
don’t know you in the least.” 

“ I am in just the same disguise as that in which I made 
my way down from Ava,” Stanley laughed. ‘‘I felt very 
uncomfortable at first with nothing on but this short petticoat 
thing, but I have got accustomed to it now, and I am bound 
to say that it is cool and comfortable. Now, tell me about 
your wounds.” 

‘‘They are not very serious, Stanley. I had a lick across 
the head with a sword, — that was the one that brought me 
down, — and a slice taken out of my arm from the elbow 
nearly up to the shoulder ; also a spear-wound in the side ; 
but that was a trifle, as it glanced off the ribs. If I had been 
left as I fell, and somebody had bound up my wounds at 
once, I should have been all right by this time. The fellows 
did bandage them up to some extent, but the movement of 
the litter set them off bleeding again, and I fancy that I lost 
pretty nearly all the blood in my body. I think that it was 


IN THE TEMPLE 


241 


pure weakness rather than fever that kept me unconscious so 
long, for I gather from the pantomime of the trooper that I 
must have been nearly a fortnight unconscious.” 

“ Yes ; you were certainly so when I came the first time, 
Harry ; but I think, perhaps, on the whole, it is lucky that 
you were. You would probably have had a great deal more 
fever if you had not been so very weak ; and if you had 
escaped that and had gone on well, you might have been sent 
off to Ava before I could get all the arrangements made for 
your escape.” 

“Tell me all about it,” Harry said; “it seems to me 
wonderful how you managed it.” 

Stanley told him the whole story. By the time that he had 
finished the stores had all been taken upstairs, and the fire 
most carefully extinguished, as the smoke would at once have 
betrayed them. The cross pieces of the litter had been taken 
off to allow Harry to be carried in through the door, and he 
was now lifted. Two of the men took off their cloths and 
wrapped the materials of the bed into these, carrying them up 
at once. As soon as they had gone on, Harry was slowly and 
carefully taken to the upper chamber and laid down again on 
the bed. Stanley took his place beside him, and the rest of 
the party went down to the lower room, having received the 
strictest orders not to show themselves near the entrance, and 
not to smoke until well assured that their pursuers must have 
passed on ahead. The bamboos of the litter were converted 
into a rough ladder, and on this Meinik took his post at the 
little window in the second of the lower rooms. Owing to 
the immense thickness of the rock wall he did not get an 
extensive view, but he could see the path by which anyone 
coming up through the forest would approach the temple. 

It was now about half-past seven, and by this time the 
pursuers might be at hand ; in ten minutes, indeed, distant 

i6 


242 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


shouts could be heard, and Stanley at once went down and 
joined the men below. He placed himself in the line of the 
doorway; as the wall here was four feet thick, the room was 
in semi-darkness, and, standing well back, he was certain 
that his figure could not be perceived by anyone standing in 
the glare of sunshine outside. The sounds grew louder and 
louder, and in a minute or two an officer, followed by some 
twenty men, emerged from the trees. All paused when they 
saw the temple. The men would have drawn back at once, 
but the officer shouted to them to advance, although showing 
small inclination to do so himself. They were still standing 
irresolute when a superior officer on horseback, followed by 
some fifty footmen, came up the path. 

He shouted orders for them to search the temple, and as 
the- fear of him was even greater than their dread of the 
spirits, the whole of the men made their way over the fallen 
stones and up to the face of the rock. They first entered the 
chamber where the horses had been stabled. The officer who 
had first arrived went in with his men, and, coming out, re- 
ported to his senior that there had been a fire made and that 
some horses had also been there, but that three weeks or a 
month must have passed since then. 

Are you sure of that ? ” 

“ Quite certain, my lord. It is extraordinary that anyone 
should have dared to enter there, still less to stable horses, 
when, as everyone knows, the temple is haunted by evil 
spirits.” 

I care nothing for spirits,” the officer said ; ^Mt is men 
we are in search of. Go and look into any other chambers 
there may be.” 

At this moment a deep mournful sound was heard ; louder 
and louder it rose, and then gradually died away. The 
soldiers stood as if paralysed ; even the high official, who had 


IN THE TEMPLE 


243 


been obliged to leave his horse and make his way across the 
fallen blocks on foot, stepped back a pace with an expression 
of awe. He soon recovered himself, and shouted angrily to 
the men to go on. But again the dirge-like noise rose louder 
and louder. It swelled, and then as gradually died away ; 
but this time with a quavering modulation. The men looked 
up and round, some gazed at the upper part of the rock, some 
straight ahead, while others turned round and faced the 
forest. 

“Search ! ” the officer shouted furiously. “ Evil spirits or 
no evil spirits, not a man shall stir from here until the place is 
searched. ’ ’ 

Then rose a shrill, vibrating sound, as if of eerie laughter. 
Not even the officer’s authority or the fear of punishment 
could restrain the soldiers. With cries of alarm they rushed 
across the ruins and plunged into the forest, followed, at a rate 
which he tried in vain to make dignified, by the officer, who, 
as soon as he reached his horse, leapt upon it and galloped 
away. The Burmese keenly appreciate a joke, and as soon as 
the troops had fled, the villagers and guards inside the tem- 
ple threw themselves down, on the ground and roared with 
laughter. 

Stanley at once made his way into the upper room. 

“ Splendidly done, Meinik ! It was like the note of an 
organ. Although I knew what you were going to do, I felt 
almost startled myself when that deep note rose. No wonder 
they were frightened.” 

“ Well, at any rate, master, we are safe for the present.” 

“ For the present, no doubt, Meinik ; but I question if we 
sha’n’t hear of them again. That officer was a determined- 
looking fellow, and though he was scared, too, he stuck to it 
like a man. ’ ’ 

“That is the governor of the town, master. I saw him 


244 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


carried through the streets in his chair. Everyone was bend- 
ing to the ground as he passed. He was a famous general at 
one time, and they say that he is likely to command a part of 
the army again when fighting begins.” 

“ Well, I think that we shall hear of them again, Meinik. 
I don’t suppose that he really thought that we were here, 
for certainly no Burman would take up his abode in this 
place even to save his life. They will push on the chase 
through the woods all day, and by that time they will feel sure 
that they would have overtaken us had we gone straight on. 
Then I should not be at all surprised if he tries here again.” 

“ Perhaps he will, master. Like enough he will chop off 
the heads of some of the men that ran away, and pick out 
some of his best troops for the search. Still, I hope he won’t 
think of it.” 

Stanley shook his head. 

‘ ‘ I hope so too, Meinik. There is one thing about which 
I feel certain — if he does find us here, he will stay here, or at 
any rate leave some troops here until he gets us. He would 
know that he would get into trouble at Ava for letting the 
prisoners escape, and it would be .all-important for him to re- 
capture them. Now we are up here, Meinik, we will go and 
have a look at that upper staircase again. If we are besieged 
that is our only hope of safety.” 

They again went along the ledge and up the staircase. 
Stanley examined the stones that blocked the passage for some 
time, and at last exclaimed : 

“There, Meinik, look along by the side of this stone; I 
can see a ray of light. Yes, and some leaves. I don’t think 
they are more than thirty feet above us ! ” 

Meinik applied his eye to the crevice. “I see them, 
master. Yes, I don’t think those leaves are more than that 
distance away. ’ ’ 


IN THE TEMPLE 


245 


That is what I came to look for,” Stanley said. It was 
evident that this rubbish could only be the stones of the root 
and pavement over the depression in the middle of the ruin, 
and that these could not block up this staircase very far. The 
question is, will it be possible to clear them away ? Evi- 
dently it will be frightfully dangerous work. One might 
manage to get one stone out at a time in safety. But at any 
moment the loosening of one stone might bring a number of 
others down with a run, and anyone on this narrow staircase 
would be swept away like a straw.” 

Meinik agreed as to the danger. 

‘‘Well, we need not think it over now, Meinik, but if we 
are really besieged, it is by this way that we must escape, if 
at all. We must hope that we sha’n’t be beset, but if we are 
we must try here. I would rather be killed at once by the 
fall of a stone on my head than tortured to death. ’ ’ 

Meinik nodded, and they descended the stairs, put out the 
torches that they had used there, and returned along the 
ledge to the chamber where Harry was lying. 

“ So Meinik scared them away,” the latter said as Stanley 
sat down beside him. “ I could not think what he was going 
to do when he came up here with that long reed as thick as 
my leg. He showed it to me, and I saw that it had a sort of 
mouthpiece fixed into it, and he made signs that he was going 
to blow down it. When he did it was tremendous, and as 
it got louder and louder, I put my hands to my ears ; every- 
thing seemed to quiver. The other row — that diabolical 
laughing noise — he made with a smaller one ; it was fright- 
ful ; but the big note was more like a trombone, only twenty 
times louder. Well, do you think that we have done with 
them? ” 

“ I hope so, Harry. At any rate you can be assured that 
they will never fight their way up here, and long before our 


246 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


provisions are finished I have no doubt that I shall be able to 
hit on some plan of escape.” 

The day passed quietly, the woods were as silent as usual. 
The Burmans were all in high spirits at the success of Meinik’s 
horn. When it became dark they hung a blanket before the 
entrance, placed one of the lads on watch just outside it, 
and then lighted a fire. Stanley took a couple of torches and 
went up to Harry, taking the precaution to hang a cloth be- 
fore the window. 

‘‘I have not said much about thanking you, old fellow,” 
Harry said, “ but you must know how I feel.” 

“ You had better say nothing about it, Harry ; I have 
only done what you would have done had you been in my 
place ; had you been in charge of that party, and I had been 
carried off, I know you would have done all in your power to 
rescue me. You might not have succeeded quite so well, be- 
cause you do not know their language, but I know that you 
would have tried. After all, I have not run anything like so 
much risk as I did when I rescued Meinik from the leopard. 
And he, of course, was an absolute stranger to me. Besides, 
you are not rescued yet, and we won’t holloa until we are out 
of the wood.” 

‘‘It is very cool and pleasant here,” Harry said, after 
lying without speaking fora few minutes. “It was dread- 
fully hot in that hut in the middle of the day, and I used to 
feel that I lost almost as much strength in the day as I picked 
up at night. I am wonderfully better this evening. Of 
course, that long sleep had something to do with it, and the 
pleasure of being free and with you had still more, but cer- 
tainly the coolness, and the air blowing through that open- 
ing, have counted for something.” 

“Well, we shall feed you up as long as you are here, 
Harry, and I hope in a fortnight to see you pretty firm on 


IN THE TEMPLE 


247 


your legs again, and then if there is nothing to prevent it we 
will carry you off triumphantly.” 

Meinik here came in with two bowls of broth, for they 
had bought a few earthenware utensils on one of the visits to 
Toungoo. 

“That is first-rate! ” Harry said, as he finished his first 
one. ‘ ‘ What is it made of ? ” 

“ I never ask questions,” Stanley replied, who tried, suc- 
cessfully, to keep down a smile. “ Meinik is a capital cook, 
and turns out all sorts of nice little dishes. Here comes 
his step again. What have you there, Meinik?” he asked, 
as the Burman entered with two plates. 

“ A slice of mutton done on sticks over the fire, master, 
and some rice with it.” 

“That is first-rate!” Harry said heartily, when he had 
finished. “ They did not give me meat in prison. I suppose 
they thought that I was not strong enough for it.” 

They eat very little meat themselves, Harry. Now I 
fancy your dinner is done, except some fruit. We have got 
plenty of that.” 

There were, however, some fried bananas, and Harry de- 
clared that he had feasted like a king. “If this goes on, 
Stanley, I will wager that I shall be about in a week, and shall 
be offering to run a race with you in a fortnight.” 

“You will be a good deal longer than that before you are 
fit to walk any distance. Still, with a good appetite, — which 
you are sure to have after your illness, — plenty of food, and 
the cool air in these caves, I do expect that you will pick up 
fast.” 

The next day passed quietly. 

“ I shall be glad when to-morrow is over,” Stanley said to 
Meinik the last thing before going up to Harry’s cell. “ To- 
day I expect they are all marching back again, and if they 


248 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


pay US another visit it will be early to-morrow morning. Be 
sure that two men are on watch. They can relieve each 
other every hour, and I shall come down myself occasionally 
to see that all is right, but I don’t think that even the 
governor could get his men to come near this place after 
dark. ’ ’ 

“We will keep good watch, master, but I have no fear of 
their coming. ’ ’ 


CHAPTER XV 

THE ATTACK 

S TANLEY got up several times during the night, and went 
below to the watches, as he felt sure they would be 
nervous, for though they had now, to a large extent, got over 
their superstitious fears, they would still be timid at night. 
They reported that everything was still round the temple, 
but that they had heard distant sounds in the woods ; and on 
the first of these occasions he had, after returning to the room 
above, gone out on to the ledge, and from that height could 
see the reflection in the sky of a number of fires extending 
in a semicircle, at a distance of a mile or so from the temple. 
From this he felt convinced that the governor was deter- 
mined to have a thorough search made in the morning. As 
soon as it was daylight the sound of the blowing of horns 
and the beating of drums was heard in the forest, and half 
an hour later a large body of men poured out from the trees, 
headed by the governor himself. 

“ Now,” he shouted, “ this place is to be searched in every 
hole and corner. As to the evil spirits, there is no fear of 
them either by day or night. Did you ever hear of their 


THE ATTACK 


249 


attacking a large body of men ? They may strangle a single 
traveller who ventures into their haunts, but no one ever 
heard of a Burmese army being attacked by them. Now, 
every man has to do his duty, and the first who wavers, his 
head is to be struck off at once. Forward ! ’ ’ 

The troops rushed impetuously across the ruins, penetrated 
into the various chambers in the rock, and in a few minutes 
all these were reported to be empty. 

“There are chambers higher up,” the governor said. 
“We will search them, and — look at that door up there, it 
must lead to somewhere. Bring stones, and make a stair up 
to it.” 

It was evident now that there was no longer any hope of 
concealment, and Stanley stepped to the entrance. “ My 
Lord -governor,” he shouted, “there is a strong force here, 
and all your army could not gain an entrance. We do not 
wish to take the lives of brave men, but if we are attacked 
we must defend ourselves, and I pray you to withdraw with 
them and not to throw away life.” 

This address from an apparent peasant excited the wrath of 
the governor, who shouted : “ Shoot him, men ! ” 

But before the order could be obeyed Stanley had stepped 
back into the chamber, where he had already ordered the 
men to stand out of the line of the door. A number of 
muskets were fired, and several bullets struck the back wall 
of the chamber. The firing continued, and Stanley said : 
“Keep where you are, men, until they have finished, then 
approach the door, for directly they begin the attack the 
men behind must stop firing. They will be some minutes 
yet.” He ran quickly up to Harry’s room. 

“They are attacking us,” Harry exclaimed ; “oh, how I 
wish I could come down and help ! ’ ’ 

“They can never get in, Harry. British soldiers might 


250 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


do it, but not these fellows. They can only enter two 
abreast, and with a dozen spear points facing them what can 
they do? I thought that I would just come up and tell you 
it was all right. It will take them five minutes, at least, to 
pile up stones level with the doorway.” 

Stanley again joined those below. Meinik, the trooper, 
and one of the Burmese were to form the first line ; the 
four other Burmese were to stand behind, with their spears, 
between the men in front ; the two guards with their mus- 
kets, and the boys, were to act as a reserve. Stanley had 
armed himself with one of the axes, and was to stand by the 
side of the entrance, so that if the spearmen were pressed 
back, and any of the assailants succeeded in passing the en- 
trance, he would strike them down. Presently there was a 
silence outside. 

“Keep well back,” he said. “They have laid their 
stones, and we shall have a rush directly, but they will most 
likely pour in a volley first.” 

The pause lasted for a minute or two. Then a drum was 
beaten, and a hundred muskets were fired. A rain of bullets 
flew into the cave. 

“ Now,” Stanley shouted, “ form up.” 

A wild yell was raised by the Burmese. Now they knew 
that they were fighting human foes, their courage returned and 
there was a rush of men up the pile of stones to the entrance, 
but in vain they tried to force their way into the chamber. 
Those in front fell pierced by the spears, and while the de- 
fenders could see their figures against the light, the assailants, 
coming out from the sunshine, could see nothing in the 
chamber, which was now darkened by their filling up the 
entrance. Not once was it necessary for Stanley to strike. 
The Burmans’ spears did their work thoroughly, and in two 
or three minutes the entrance was nigh choked up with dead 



IN VAIN THE BURMESE TRIED TO FORCE THEIR WAY INTO THE 

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THE ATTACK 


251 


bodies, adding to the difficulty of the assailants. Pressed on 
by those behind, the foremost fell over these obstacles, and 
were instantly pierced by the spears, until it was no longer 
possible to get through the outer entrance, much less make 
their way into the chamber. Again and again the attack was 
repeated and as often repulsed. 

Before advancing, the Burmese each time endeavoured to 
clear the passage by drawing out the Bodies of their comrades, 
but the two guards now posted themselves in front, and shot 
man after man, who made the attempt. At last the Burmese 
drew off, but not till some fifty or sixty had been killed. 
The governor was seen gesticulating furiously to a party of 
officers, and presently a final attack was made, led by several 
officers of rank. This was as unsuccessful as the others ; the 
bodies, indeed, of the killed now forming a well-nigh impas- 
sable barrier, and after several of the officers and many of the 
bravest men had fallen, the remainder withdrew suddenly. 
The governor appeared to recognize that the task was an im- 
possible one, and two or three hundred men were at once 
set to work felling trees, and by nightfall a high stockade had 
been erected round the open ground in front of the temple. 

They are going to try to starve us out,” Stanley said. 

There is no more chance of fighting to-night.” 

As soon as the stockade was finished musketeers took their 
place behind it and opened a dropping fire at the entrance, 
while the woodcutters continued to fell trees. 

“ We must get rid of these dead bodies if we can,” Stan- 
ley said, or the place will be uninhabitable in a day or two. 
Get those two bamboos we had for the litter, Meinik ; we 
will push the bodies out, one by one, beginning with those on 
the top of the heap. We can keep down behind the shelter 
of the pile till we have got most of them out ; after that we 
must take our chance of a shot.” 


252 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


It took them some hours’ work, but at last the passage was 
cleared, and the bodies all thrown outside. The fire was 
lighted in the next room, and Stanley, bidding two men 
listen attentively for any movement, went up again to Harry, 
to whom he had paid a flying visit as soon as the Burmese 
drew off. 

‘‘We cannot risk having a light here, Harry,” he said. 
“ I don’t want them to have any idea that this chamber, 
which is nearly fifty feet above the entrance, is in any way 
connected with the rooms below. If such an idea struck 
them they might lower men from above by ropes, and so take 
us in the rear.” 

“ Did you say that we are regularly shut up in front by that 
stockade ? ’ ’ 

“Yes ; there is certainly no getting out that way. Behind, 
you know, it is a sheer wall of rock, and the only possibility 
that I can see, is that we may clear a staircase, which runs 
up through the rock, from a ledge on the level of this room, 
to the ruins of a building above. At present the upper part 
is entirely choked up with blocks of stone and rubbish, and it 
will be a very awkward job to get through it ; but so far, it 
seems to me, it is that or nothing.” 

“ What are they going on chopping down trees for? ” 

“ I believe their general is doing it to bring large numbers 
of his troops close up to the stockade ; partly perhaps to keep 
up the spirits of the front line by their company, partly to 
render impossible any attempt on our part to make our way 
out by a sudden rush. Of course, they don’t know what 
our strength is ; but they have had so sharp a lesson to-day 
that they will take every precaution in future. Well, what is 
it, Meinik ? ” 

“We have been talking together, master, and we think 
that if we were to call out that they might take the bodies 


THE ATTACK 


253 


away ; without any interference by us they would do so. Sev- 
eral officers of rank have fallen there, and it is our custom 
always to carry off the dead when it is possible.” 

“ It would be worth trying the experiment anyhow, Meinik. 
But we must all stand to arms while they are doing it, as they 
might make a sudden rush. However, we would risk that, 
for those bodies have been worrying me very much, and I 
would give anything to have them taken away. I will go 
down with you.” 

Meinik accordingly went down to the entrance and shouted 
out : “ Peace, peace ! I am ordered by the English officer to 
say that he would wish those who have fought so bravely to 
be honoured after death, and that no shot shall be fired and 
no interference made with those who come to carry away the 
dead.” 

There was silence for two or three minutes, and then a 
voice called back : It is well ; for two hours there shall be 

peace between us.” 

I have no doubt the governor is as glad to do this as we 
are. It is considered a disgrace if the dead are not carried off 
the ground to burial ; and if he sends despatches to Ava he 
will be glad to be able to put in that the brave men who fell 
have all been buried with due honours. Besides, Meinik, it 
would not be encouraging to his troops for them to have that 
pile of dead bodies before them ; and, indeed, would be enough 
to cause a pestilence in a few days.” 

The men were formed up again round the entrance. The 
Burmese did their work silently. Occasionally a slight move- 
ment was heard, but no one could have imagined that a 
hundred men were busy outside. A number of them carried 
torches, and all worked steadily and in good order under the 
direction of two or three officers. One of the posts of the 
stockade had been pulled up, and through this the bodies 


254 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


were carried. It was less than two hours before a horn 
sounded, and there was a loud call of: The peace is over ; 
all is done.” 

Beyond the stockade great fires blazed among the trees. 
The work of chopping down the forest continued, and by 
the morning the ground had been cleared for a distance of 
thirty or forty yards from the paling. Then the Burmese 
raised another stockade forty feet behind the first, so that, 
if by carelessness or treachery the besieged should manage to 
pass through the first line, there would yet be another in 
front of them. 

I expect, master,” Meinik said, as standing well back he 
watched the men at work, “ the general is building this 
second line, not because he thinks that there is a chance of 
our getting through the first, but to keep the men at work 
so as to prevent them from thinking anything about the 
spirits. Now that they have passed one night there they will 
have got somewhat over their fear, and of course every day 
that passes without ill befalling them they will think less and 
less about the evil ones.” 

“ Do you believe in them, Meinik ? ” 

Meinik hesitated. ‘‘Everyone knows, master, that evil 
spirits guard the treasures of the people that lived in the land 
long, long ago. No one can doubt that people who have 
rashly sought the treasures have been found dead with staring 
eyes and swollen bodies ; but as at present they must know 
well that neither we nor those outside are searching for treas- 
ure, they may not interfere.” 

“ Then you think that there are treasures buried here some- 
where ? ’ ’ 

“I cannot say, master; everyone says so. The story has 
been handed down that this was once the greatest of the tem- 
ples of the old people, and that when they were defeated by 


THE ATTACK 


255 


tribes from the east — I know not whether it was us or some 
people before us — the priests from all the other temples came 
here. The remains of their army came here too and fought 
outside the temple until all were killed. When the con- 
querors entered they found the priests all lying in regular lines 
on the pavements. . All were dead. One story is that they 
had stabbed themselves ; another, that they had taken poison. 
At any rate, no treasures were found, although it was known 
that the riches of the temple were great, and that all the other 
priests that had come here had brought the treasures from 
their temples with them. That was the beginning of the de- 
struction of the place, for the pavement was torn up, and the 
walls in some places levelled, and the images of the gods 
broken up in search for the treasures. The work of the guar- 
dian spirits had already begun. They say that all who took 
part in the search died of a terrible pestilence that broke out. 
Since that time the place has been accursed. Once or twice 
kings have sent bodies of troops to search, and they say that 
some could never find the temple, but wandered about the 
forest for days searching in vain for it ; others found so thick 
a darkness, like the blackest of smoke, filling the forest, that 
even the bravest dare not enter. I say not that those things 
were so ; I only say that these are the stories that have come 
down to us.” 

Well, Meinik, we are not going to search for the treas- 
ure, and it is evident that the spirits bear us no ill will; in- 
deed I feel obliged to them, for it is likely enough that the 
soldiers will put down their misfortune to their influence, and 
that even the governor may feel that it would be useless to 
try to get them to renew the assault.’ This evening we will 
go up and have another look at the stairs and see how we can 
best set to work to clear them. There is no great hurry 
about it, but the sooner we set to work the better.” 


256 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


All day long a dropping fire was maintained on the en- 
trance by the troops behind the first stockade; but as, with 
the exception of three men kept always on watch, the defend- 
ers were stationed in the next chamber, the bullets pattered 
harmlessly against the wall. During the night the accumu- 
lated dust of ages had been swept up from the floor, and this 
had been strewn three inches deep in the passage between the 
outer air and the chamber, so as to cover the blood that had 
been shed there. As soon as it was quite dark, Stanley, 
Meinik, and three of the villagers went out on to the ledge 
in front of the upper opening, made their way along it to the 
entrance of the stairs and mounted. They carried with them 
two or three glowing brands from the fire in one of the earth- 
enware cooking-pots, which was covered with a cloth to prevent 
the slightest glow being noticed by the enemy. The men, 
by Stanley’s order, brought with them the bamboos of the 
litter, the saw they had used at the stockade, a hatchet, and 
some blocks of fire- wood. When they got to the point where 
the steps were choked up, they lighted the two torches, the 
men who brought up the rear of the party holding up a rug 
to prevent any reflection from the torches being seen outside. 
When Stanley and Meinik had again examined the obstacle, 
the latter retired, and the Burmans one by one came up and 
looked at it. 

What do you think of it? ” Stanley asked them. 

It would be dangerous to touch it, my lord,” one of them 
said. If only one stone moved out from its place it would 
be death to us all. They are firm now, quite firm, but if two 
or three were disturbed the whole might come down at once. ’ ’ 

I quite see that,” Stanley said. “ Can any of you sug- 
gest a plan by which we could get out without much risk of 
setting them in motion? ” 

The Burmese were silent, 


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257 


‘‘I will tell you my scheme then. I propose to cut the 
bamboos into lengths that will just reach across the passage. 
It is the lower stones that one is most afraid of. So long as 
these remain fixed there is no fear of any general movement, but 
if they went, the whole mass might come down. This passage 
is less than three feet wide, and the bamboos are twelve feet 
long, so that each would make four, the width of the passage. 
I propose to drive them tightly in and fix them firmly with 
wedges. They must be put in so that they will actually touch 
the stones, so as to prevent their making the slightest down- 
ward movement. If they began to slide, no doubt they 
would carry away the bamboos, but if these were fixed firmly 
by wedges they ought to be sufficient to prevent any move- 
ment from taking place, especially as there would be enough 
of them almost to touch each other, extending from this low- 
est step on which the rocks rest, some five feet upwards, that 
is, to within some two feet of the roof, which would be suffi- 
cient for us to crawl through, and the bamboos would serve 
as a ladder. Then I propose that we should work our way 
along the top, passing the small stones and rubbish back- 
wards, after filling up all the cracks and crevices below us. 

“ I see, of course, that we should meet with many obstacles. 
Great stones may be sticking up, perhaps jammed against the 
roof; these would have to be broken off or chipped in pieces. 
No doubt the work will take time ; but at any rate there is 
plenty of food for three weeks, and working by turns night 
and day we ought to be able to burrow our way out. As we 
get on we may not find the stones so tightly pressed togethei 
as they are here. At any rate, as we saw the light above us 
only some thirty feet up, there ought not to be above twenty 
feet of closely-packed stuff to get through. No doubt the 
work will be dangerous as well as hard ; but as we know that 
if we do not succeed all our lives are forfeited, we can face 
t7 


258 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


the danger. Everyone of us will take his share in turn ; I 
shall do so myself, and shall direct the work in general. What 
do you think of the plan ? ” 

think that it is possible, master,” Meinik said. ^‘At 
any rate we must try it, since it is the only way that offers us 
any chance of life.” 

The Burmese all agreed, and they at once set to work. 
The bamboos were first cut into lengths, and then, by means 
of the axe and wedges, were jammed so firmly from side to 
side, that it would have required great force to dislodge them. 
These supports were somewhat irregularly placed, as it was 
necessary that they should absolutely touch the stones. As 
they proceeded with the work, the spaces behind the bamboos 
were filled tightly up with rubble, so as to solidify the w^hole. 

When the last support was in its place, Stanley said : 
“Now, Meinik, do you with these three work to-night, four 
others will take your place before dawn. Mind, at first I 
don’t want you to attempt to move any fixed stones, but sim- 
ply to clear away all small stones and rubble ; you can stow 
a good deal behind the two upper bamboos, the rest you 
must put on the stairs. I will see to-night what we can man- 
age in the way of tools for chipping away the big stones that 
cannot be moved. You had better relieve each other very 
often ; the three who are not at work should sit down on the 
ledge outside, so that any stone accidentally dislodged wull 
not fall on anyone. Every ten minutes one will come up to 
take the place of the man at work. Be sure that each as he 
passes up or down replaces the blanket carefully.” 

They had, indeed, before beginning to saw up the bam- 
boos fastened the blanket to one of the cross pieces of the 
stretcher, and cutting this to the width of the passage, had 
jammed it close up to the roof, so that the curtain hanging 
down effectually shut off the light. Stanley then descended 


THE ATTACK 


259 


the steps and rejoined Harry below. Before going down 
further, Stanley, who had during the day informed Harry of 
his plan, told him of the start that they had made. 

“ Of course it all depends upon what stones you meet with,” 
Harry said. If you come to a big solid block I don’t see 
how you are going to get through it.” 

“ We have the hatchets and can whittle it away, and per- 
haps we can make some chisels from the ramrods of your 
guards’ guns. A lot can be done with patience and plenty 
of hands.” 

Stanley then went down below and explained to the others 
the plan proposed. The news gave them great satisfaction ; 
for although Meinik had told them there was a staircase above 
blocked with stones, it had seemed so impossible to him to 
clear it that he had placed no stress upon the fact, and the 
preparations made by the enemy to cut off any possible re- 
treat had greatly depressed them. Stanley took one of the 
iron ramrods, and raking some of the embers from the fire, 
placed it in them about a foot from one end ; then he directed 
the others to fan the embers until they raised them almost to 
white heat. Taking the ramrod out, he laid the edge of one 
of their knives upon it, and striking its back with a stone, 
soon cut through the glowing rod. He repeated the opera- 
tion, and had then three short rods of equal length. He now 
heated one end of each, and laying it on an axe on the 
ground, hammered it into chisel shape with the back of a 
light hatchet, repeating this several times until it had the re- 
quired shape and sharpness, then he plunged this into a pot 
of water. 

He did the same with the other two, and had now three 
chisels with which he hoped to be able to chip away the 
stones. The other ramrod he left intact, except that he 
sharpened one end, then going up to Harry’s room he 


260 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


lay down and slept for some hours, putting the two boys on 
watch and bidding the trooper look after them. The two 
Burmans, with one of the guards, were to go to work with 
him. Several times he woke ; the last time, on looking out, 
he thought that there was a faint light in the sky, and going 
down called up the three men, and bidding them bring up the 
two heavy axes, a light hatchet, and the three short chisels, 
he led them up the steps to the working party. 

“ How have you got on, Meinik ? ” 

“ We have cleared four feet, master, but there is a big 
stone sticking up now, and we can do nothing with it.” 

“We will have a try, and do you all go down at once. 
Take off your cloth one of you, and fill it with this rubbish 
on the steps. Do it as quickly as you can, the day will be 
breaking in a few minutes.” 

Stanley now climbed up and investigated the passage. The 
bottom was level, every crack and crevice between the stones 
being filled up with rubbish. The obstacle Meinik had 
spoken of evidently formed part of a flat slab. It reached 
within an inch of the roof, and at one side touched the rock 
wall ; at the other there was an interval of some four or five 
inches, and the earth and rubbish had already been scraped 
out from behind it. Putting his hand in he found that the 
block was some four inches in thickness. He thought that if 
he could but get a fair blow at it with the back of one of the 
heavy axes he might break it off, but this was impossible. 
The total width of the passage did not exceed three feet, and 
as the men had, as they went, worked down somewhat, there 
was now about thirty inches between the bed of earth and 
rubbish on which he was lying and the roof. Taking the 
handle of the axe in both hands he used the head as a batter- 
ing-ram, but without any success. He then called up the 
slightest of the three men, and told him to crawl in beside 


THE ATTACK 


261 


him, and with their united strength they pounded the stone 
for some time. Finding that nothing could be done this 
way, Stanley sent the man back again, and then taking one 
of the three chisels and a small hatchet, he proceeded to mark 
a line along the bottom of the stone, and then for ten min- 
utes worked away on it with the chisel and hammer. Then 
he called up one of the others, and showed him what he was 
to do. All day they worked by turns, and though progress 
was very slow, by nightfall the groove was half an inch deep. 

Stanley and the strongest Burman then went in together, 
and lying on their backs again tried the effect of the heavy 
axe, but still without success. Then Stanley told the man 
to get down and take out the wedge at the top of the axe, 
and to cut away the wood below the head, so that the lat- 
ter would slip down four or five inches, then to take off the 
head of the other heavy axe and put it on above it, and 
replace the wedge. In a few minutes the man rejoined him. 

“ We must strike it as near thereof as we can,” Stanley 
said. Both grasped the handle firmly. “We will sway it 
backwards and forwards three times, and the third time strike. 
One, two, three — hooray ! ” 

As the two-headed axe, driven with their united force, 
struck the stone, there was a sharp crack. 

“That has done it,” Stanley said, turning over. There 
was a dark line along the groove, and the top of the stone 
inclined back two inches from the perpendicular, being kept 
in its place by the rubbish behind it. Stanley put his hand 
into the hole, and got his fingers behind the stone, while the 
Burmese put the chisel into the crack and used it as a lever. 
In two or three minutes the stone was moved out of its posi- 
tion, taken out of the hole, and laid down on the steps. Half 
an hour later Meinik came up with a trooper, another guard, 
and one of the boys, and was delighted to find that the obsta- 


262 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


cle, which had seemed to him fatal to their hopes, had been 
removed. Stanley showed how they had carried out the work, 
and then with his party went down into the rock chambers. 

“It was pretty tiring work, Harry,” he said, “ though we 
were only at it about a quarter of an hour at a time. My 
wrists and arms and shoulders are aching as if I had been 
beaten with sticks. To-morrow I will take up a good supply 
of fire-wood. The chisels got blunted before we had worked 
an hour, and we should get on a deal faster if we could sharpen 
them frequently.” 

“ Is the stone hard ? ” 

“ No; it is a sort of marble, I think. We had the under- 
part of the slab on our side, and I did not think of looking 
when we took it down. Anyhow, it was not very hard, and 
with a good strong chisel and a short, heavy hammer, I am 
sure we could have done it in an hour. Anyhow, it is a com- 
fort that nothing came down on top of us. I examined the pile 
carefully, and there had not been the slightest movement 
among the lower stones ; so that part of the difficulty seems 
to have been got over. Now, I must go down and get some- 
thing to eat, and then I will go in for a good sleep. You are 
feeling all right, I hope ? ’ ’ 

“ Could not be doing better, Stanley. I have eaten three 
solid meals to-day, and have been sitting up on the edge of 
my bed for some time. I tried standing, but it was no go ; 
still, I do think that in a day or two I shall manage it.” 

For six days the work continued. One party watched, 
another slept, and the third worked, by turns. Some of the 
stones gave much greater trouble than the first they had met 
with, but having the fire close by proved a great assistance, as 
the chisels could be frequently sharpened. The men became 
more accustomed to the work, and the steady progress they 
made greatly excited their hopes. At the end of the week 


THE ATTACK 


263 


but one stone barred the way. This, however, was much the 
most formidable that they had encountered. It seemed to 
have been a pillar or a huge gate-po t, and was square, meas- 
uring some twenty inches on each face. The obstacle was all 
the more formidable, as the upper end was inclined towards 
them, greatly increasing the difficulty in using the chisel. 
Beyond this, as far as they could see, there was merely a mass 
of smaller stones. The party who had been working upon 
this block were much disheartened when Stanley went up to 
relieve them. Owing to the inclination of the stone, their 
chisels could get but little bite, and though they had been 
working for six hours at it, they had scarcely made any im- 
pression ; indeed at only one point had they so far broken the 
face that the chisel would cut. Meinik had come down two 
hours before to report to Stanley the nature of the obstacle, 
and when he went up he took with him the second ramrod, 
which had not hitherto been used. 

He saw at once that, as Meinik had told him, it would be 
impossible to get through this block by the same means as 
before, for as the groove deepened the labour would become 
greater and greater, and from the inclination of the stone they 
would in time arrive at a point where the axe could no longer 
be used to strike the chisel. The point at which the slight 
indentation had been made was nearly at the corner of the 
stone. This was gradually enlarged by hammering upon it 
with the head of the axe, and after an hour’s work the surface 
had been so far pounded that the chisel could get a flat 
hold upon it. Then Stanley and one of the Burmans lay 
down and placed the cutting end of the long ramrod against 
it, and the others by turns struck the end with the back of a 
light hatchet, those holding the rod turning it slightly after 
each blow. Every half-hour the edge of the chisel was 
resharpened, and by the time the next party relieved them, a 


264 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


hole of half an inch in diameter and two inches deep had been 
drilled in the stone. Stanley remained with the new-comers 
for half an hour, instructing them in the work, and then went 
below. 

Well, Stanley, what are you going to do with this mon- 
strous stone Meinik tells me of? ” 

“ There is only one thing to do with it, Harry; that is, to 
blast it. The block is so inclined that one can do nothing 
with the chisels, and we are now drilling a hole. I don’t 
know that I shall succeed, but at any rate I am going to have 
a try. If it fails, I must hit on some other way. The provi- 
sions are holding out all right, and Meinik calculates that, 
with a little stinginess, we could manage for another three 
weeks. We have drilled the hole in two inches to-day, 
and as we get more accustomed to the work I dare say we 
could do three inches in each shift. The block is twenty 
inches through on the straight, and may be two feet on the 
line that we follow, so that in four days we shall be nearly 
through it. In three weeks we shall have made five holes, 
which will weaken it so that we may be able to break it off. 
However, I hope we shall find one hole sufficient. I shall 
make it fifteen inches deep, and then charge it with the con- 
tents of a dozen cartridges. I think that ought to do it.” 

In two days and a half the hole was of the required depth. 
Harry had progressed so rapidly that he was able that morn- 
ing to walk across his room. 

“We must try the shot at once,” Stanley said, “because 
if it fails we must go on working ; if it succeeds we can, if we 
like, wait for another week before we make off. By that time 
you will be strong enough to be got through that low passage, 
and walk for a little distance, when we can cut some poles 
and rig up that hammock again. Do you know anything 
about mining, for I know nothing ? I only had an idea how 


THE ATTACK 


265 


to drill the hole from seeing some engineers at work at Agra 
years ago, but I am sure I don’t know how they fired the 
shot or prepared it. ’ ’ 

“ I can tell you a little about it, Stanley, for I have been 
down a coal mine once or twice, and watched the men doing 
it. They first of all put in the charge, then they put in a 
wooden rod just the thickness of the fuse they use, then they 
dropped in a little dry dust round it, which they pressed 
down very carefully with a small wooden rod ; then they 
damped some dust, and hammered that down hard. After 
putting in about half an inch of this, they used dust slightly 
moistened, beating it down as before. When it was quite 
full they pulled out the centre stick, and put the fuse into the 
hole that it left.” 

“ We have not got any fuse,” Stanley said, ‘‘but I think 
that if we take a narrow strip of cloth, moisten it, and rub 
gunpowder into it, let it dry, and then roll it up, it would be 
all right. Then we could lay a train of damp powder to it, 
set the end alight, and bolt.” 

“ I should think that that would do,” Harry agreed, “ but 
you would have to bolt very sharp, for if it went off before 
you got to the bottom of the steps it might be very awk- 
ward. ” 

“ I don’t think the effect of the shock will be as great as 
that, Harry. It may crack the stone, but I should hardly 
think it would send anything flying out of the hole.” 


266 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


CHAPTER XVI 

REJOINING 

E very day since the siege had begun the defenders had 
fired an occasional shot at the stockade, not with any 
idea of doing any damage, but in order that the assailants 
should know that they were still in the cavern. That even- 
ing, when the hole had got to the proper depth, Stanley, 
having prepared his fuse, went up with twenty cartridges in 
his pocket, accompanied by Meinik. The hole was charged 
and tamped and the fuse inserted ; this took a considerable 
time. The fuse had been cut so that an inch of it projected 
outside the hole. The other eight cartridges were then 
broken up, and the powder moistened, and a train some two 
feet long laid from the fuse towards the entrance of the hole. 
Then a piece of rag was wrapped round one end of the ram- 
rod, and this, again, was tied to a long rod that had the night 
before been cut by one of the boys, who had slipped out 
noiselessly from the entrance. The rag had been moistened 
and rubbed with gunpowder. 

Now, Meinik,” Stanley said, everything is ready. This 
rod is sixteen feet long, so that, lying down, my feet will be 
just at the edge of the hole, and I shall be able to drop down 
as soon as I have lighted the train, and bolt. I shall fix a 
torch a foot or so from the train, then I shall only have to 
lift the rod to it, light the rag, set fire to the train, and then 
slide down and bolt. Now, you must go down first.” 

“No, master,” Meinik said firmly; “I will light the 
train. I do not think that there is any danger, but whether 
there is or not I shall undertake it. If I am killed it does 
not matter, while if you were killed all would be lost, for if 
the explosion did not burst the stone, I am sure that we 


REJOINING 


267 


should never be able to get through it without you to direct 
us. No, master, if you stay, I stay, and that would only 
lessen our chances of running down the steps in time. ’ ’ 

Stanley argued, and even ordered, but Meinik was ob- 
stinate, and seeing that the faithful Burman was not to be 
moved, he reluctantly left the matter in his hands, and went 
downstairs. He moved a short distance along the ledge and 
waited. The time seemed an age to him, so that he gave an 
exclamation of delight when Meinik suddenly came into 
sight, and took his place beside him. 

“ I have lit the train, master. The powder fizzed up, but 
did not seem to burn very fast.” 

It was indeed another two minutes before a deep muffled 
roar was heard. There was no further noise, but they heard 
shouts from the Burmans behind the stockades. 

‘ ‘ They will be wondering what the sound is, ’ ’ Stanley 
said, “but they will not be able to tell from what direction 
it came, for I expect they were pretty nearly all sound asleep. 
Now let us go up and see the result.” 

They made their way up the steps, which were now in 
entire darkness. The curtain still hung in its place some ten 
feet below the obstacle. They lit a torch from the embers in 
the pan, and then Stanley climbed up into the passage and 
hastily crawled along. He gave a cry of satisfaction as he 
approached the end. The explosion had been completely 
successful — the end of the block lay on the ground ; whether 
the whole of it had been blown off or not he could not see, 
but he felt sure that the greater portion must have split off. 
It was evident that it would take a considerable amount of 
time, and would require the strength of several men to get 
the block out. They therefore descended at once to gladden 
the hearts of those below, with the news that the way out was 
now available to them whenever they chose to leave. 


268 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


Harry manifested no surprise whatever at the news. “I 
made sure that you would succeed, Stanley. After getting me 
off as you did, and making your own escape before, it seems 
to me that you have got hold of the ‘ open sesame ’ of Ali 
Baba, and have only to use the cabalistic words to walk in 
and out wherever you want to go.” 

‘‘ I don’t feel by any means so certain of my own powers 
as you seem to be, Harry, and I can assure you I was very 
doubtful whether that shot would succeed. I hoped at any 
rate that it would blow a good bit of the stone out, and in 
that case we could have got the chisels to work again. It 
was the slanting position of the block that beat us. How- 
ever, thank goodness, the work is done now, and you have 
only to get a bit stronger, and we will be off. ’ ’ 

‘‘I am quite ready to start now, Stanley; I think it is 
absurd waiting any longer, for there is never any saying what 
might take place. That Burmese general, who seems to be 
an obstinate beggar, might take it into his head to place a 
guard on the top of the hill, and then all your labour will 
have been thrown away.” 

That is true enough, Harry ; and as I really don’t think 
that travelling now would be likely to do you any serious harm 
I will decide on to-morrow. At any rate, I will take some 
men up at once and get that stone out.” 

The task was a difficult one. The block of stone was so 
nearly the size of the passage that they could not get a rope 
round behind it, and after trying for two hours in vain they 
determined that the only course was to push it before them. 
They soon found, however, that this was impossible, and that 
a part at least of the stone was remaining in its place. Fi- 
nally, they succeeded in pushing a loop in the rope over the 
top of the block, and then by main force eight of them 
pulled it out of the hole and lowered it on to the top step. 


REJOINING 


269 


By the time that they had done this dawn was approaching, 
and they therefore returned at once to the chambers below. 

The men were all much pleased when Stanley told them 
that they would leave that night. Confident as they felt that 
the Burmese could not force their way in, a new feeling of 
nervousness seized them, now that the way was open, lest 
some unforeseen circumstances might occur to prevent their 
going. The rice that remained was made up into three or four 
packages ; the meat had long before been finished. Stanley 
had a discussion with Meinik as to how Harry had best be 
taken through the passage. He could, they agreed, walk along 
the ledge with one before and one behind to steady him, and 
could then be carried up the steps in a blanket by four men. 
He must, of course, be lifted into the passage and dragged 
through it to the end ; after that it would be easy enough. 
Six men could carry him in a blanket until far enough away 
for them to chop poles without the sound of the axes being 
heard by the Burmese. From the time they began their work 
every pains had been taken to deaden sounds. The blanket 
hung across the passage had acted as a muffler to some extent, 
but a piece of cloth had always been tied over the hammer 
heads of the axes to prevent the sharp clinking sounds of the 
blows on the chisels or stone being heard. 

As soon as it was dark enough for them to pass along the 
ledge Meinik went with Stanley to examine the ground. Fort- 
unately the portion of stone that remained above the level 
and prevented the rock from being rolled back was but small, 
and they were able to break it up in half an hour with the 
axes. Then, making their way along without difflculty for 
another four feet, they found themselves standing upright in 
the depression in the centre of the ruin. Mounting six more 
steps, they were among the bushes that covered the site of the 
temple. They now carefully cleared away every fragment of 


270 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


Stone from the floor of the passage, and returning, Stanley 
gave orders for the start to be made. Two or three shots 
were fired from the lower entrance to show the enemy that 
they were there and on the watch, and then all went up to 
Harry’s room. He had been dressed for the first time and 
was ready for the start. Two of the strongest of the Bur- 
mans went on first. 

“ Now, Harry, you are to put your hands on my shoulders. 
Meinik will follow close behind you, and will keep his arms 
round you in case you need help. Of course we shall go 
along very slowly.” 

“ I don’t think that all these precautions are necessary,” 
Harry said. “ I am sure that I can walk that distance easily 
enough. Why, you say the stair is only about forty feet.” 

I dare say you could, Harry ; but we don’t want to run 
any risks. Your head is not very strong at present, and you 
might turn giddy, or you might stumble. So at present you 
will have just to do as you are told. Let us start. ’ ’ 

Harry did not find it as easy as he had expected getting out 
through the lower opening, and he was by no means sorry to 
have the support of Stanley and Meinik as he proceeded along 
the ledge. They moved very carefully and slowly, and all 
were greatly relieved when he sat down on a blanket laid on 
the steps. 

Now lie back, Harry ; we shall have no difficulty in get- 
ting you up here.” 

Two Burmans took the upper end of the blanket, Stanley 
and Meinik the lower, and they were soon at the top of the 
steps. 

“You are not very heavy now, Harry, but you are a good 
deal heavier than you were when we brought you in below. 
Now the next is the most difficult part of the work — once we 
get you through this passage it will be plain sailing. You see. 


REJOINING 


271 


you will have to be dragged. The place is only two feet high, 
so that it would be impossible to lift you at all. We have 
made the floor as smooth as we can, but I am afraid that 
there are a good many projecting corners that will try you a 
good deal.” 

“ It cannot be helped, Stanley. Fire away as soon as you 
like.” 

The rest of the party were now all gathered on the steps 
below, and Meinik and Stanley, getting up first into the hole, 
received Harry as the others lifted him, and with the aid of 
two of the Burmans laid him on his blanket in the passage. 

“ Now,” Stanley said to the two men who took the other 
end of the blanket, “ keep it as tight as you can, and when I 
say ‘ lift ’ we will all lift together and move him forward a few 
inches. Do not hurry over it — we have plenty of time before 
us. ’ ’ 

They were packed so closely that they had each but one 
arm available. Little by little they moved him along, gain- 
ing some six inches each time ; then all had to move so as to 
place themselves for the next effort. However, in five or six 
minutes they had him through, and carried him up into the 
open air. The rest of the party at once joined them, and, 
with three of the natives on each side of the blanket, they 
were soon beyond the circle of ruins, and making at a brisk 
pace through the forest. After going for a quarter of a mile 
they stopped, cut some poles for the hammock, and in a short 
time were on their way again, having placed in it one of the 
bags of rice as a pillow for Harry. 

They travelled for some hours, and then halted to cook some 
rice. All had slept a good deal during the day, so that after 
resting for an hour they proceeded on their way again. They 
had no fear whatever of pursuit, and the only danger that 
they could incur was from meeting with a band similar to that 


272 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


which had carried Harry off. When they rigged up the ham- 
mock, they had cut wood for torches to protect themselves 
from tigers ; these were thrown away as soon as daylight 
broke. At mid-day they halted again for another hour, and 
then, continuing their journey, arrived at the village before 
nightfall. They were received with great joy, the villagers 
setting up a shout of welcome, the friends of the men and 
boys being especially exuberant in their joy, for they had be- 
come extremely anxious at their long absence. The two 
troopers were still there, and these saluted Stanley with less 
than the usual stiff formality of the Mohammedan soldier. He 
himself laughed. 

“ I don’t look much like a British officer at present,” he 
said in their language. “ Well, has everything been quiet 
here? ” 

“ Yes, sahib ; a sowar brought us orders from the general 
to remain here, and to send at once if we heard any news of 
you. We sent off one of the villagers when the man came 
back to fetch the others, and said that you had good hopes 
of getting Lieutenant Brooke sahib out of the hands of the 
Burmese. ’ ’ 

I will write a note,” Stanley said. Get your horse sad- 
dled at once. Directly we have made Mr. Brooke comforta- 
ble, I will give you the letter.” 

During the time that Stanley had been absent the houses 
had been re-erected, and the village had assumed its general 
appearance. A hut was at once handed over to them, and 
Harry laid on a bamboo pallet. He had not slept most of 
the way down. 

You see I was quite right, Stanley. I told you that the 
journey would be nothing.” 

Fortunately it has turned out so. Meinik has already 
killed a chicken, and will make it into broth for you. It 


REJOINING 


273 


will be a change for you after your diet of rice. The cook- 
ing was excellent for the first three or four days, but it fell off 
sadly. That was one of the reasons why I gave way to your 
wish to start at once. You have done wonderfully well, but 
a constant diet of rice is not quite the thing for building up a 
sick man. 

“ Now I am going to write a few lines to the general to say 
that you have got safely down, but will need at least another 
week before you are able to sit on a horse. Of course you 
can be carried on ; but I think that the air here is a great 
deal more healthy and bracing than it is at Prome, and the 
longer you stay here the better.” 

Stanley’s note was a short one ; it merely said that he had 
succeeded in getting his cousin and the trooper who was carried 
off at the same time from the hands of the Burmese, but that 
Harry was still very weak, and that if he himself could be 
spared he would stay with him at the village for another week 
or ten days, at the end of which time he would ride by easy 
stages to Prome. Three days later the trooper returned with 
a note from the general. 

I congratulate you most heartily on having rescued your 
cousin,'' he wrote. “ By all means stay where you are until 
he is quite strong again ; this place is not at all healthy at 
present. We shall not be moving forward for another three 
weeks. ' ' 

Stanley remained at the village for another fortnight, and 
at the end of that time Harry had so far recovered that he 
was quite capable of making a short day’s journey on horse- 
back. Two of the men who had aided in the rescue had gone 
to Prome with an order from Stanley on the staff paymaster, 
for the rewards that had been promised to the villagers and 

i8 


274 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


the two Burmese soldiers. They returned with the money, 
and the men were all highly delighted at the result of the 
expedition. 

Stanley retained the services of the two soldiers as long as 
he remained in the village. He had no fear whatever of the 
same band returning that had before visited the village, and 
he learned that no others had been heard of in the neighbour- 
hood ; but at the same time he thought it as well that a man 
should be on guard night and day at each end of the village. 
The peasants agreed to watch at one end, while the two Bur- 
mese soldiers and the troopers took charge of the other end. 
The bulk of the villagers were engaged in forming a strong 
stockade round it to defend themselves in case of further 
attack, and Stanley promised to send them down twenty 
muskets and a supply of ammunition as soon as he got to 
Prome. There was real regret on the part of the Burmese 
when the time came for the party to start. It had been 
something altogether new to them to have officials among 
them who paid for everything. These Englishmen had 
treated them kindly, and were pleased and contented with 
everything. The money that the five men and two boys 
had earned had enriched the village, and had enabled them 
to more than replace their losses by the recent raid, and if 
Stanley had accepted all the presents of fruit, fowls, and eggs 
they would have given him, he would have needed a couple 
of extra horses to convey them. A strong pony had been 
purchased for Meinik, and after taking a hearty leave of the 
villagers the party rode off. 

I wish we had such a good cook as your man is, Stan- 
ley,” Harry said as they journeyed along at a walk. “I 
never tasted better soup than he serves up. I must really get 
him to teach our mess cook how to make it. ’ ’ 

Do you know what it is, Harry? ” 


REJOINING 


275 


“ I have not the least idea; it might be anything. I think 
that it tasted to me more like stewed eels than anything 
else. ’ ’ 

“You are not very far out. It is made of the creatures you 
turned up your nose at — snakes.” 

“ Nonsense, Stanley ! ” 

“ It is, I can assure you. I would not tell you before 
because it might have set you against it. That soup you had 
in the cave was made from snake-flesh. The recesses in parts 
of the caves swarmed with them, and the men laid in quite a 
store of them before we were besieged. Unfortunately they 
would not keep well even in these cool chambers, so we had 
to fall back on rice. You liked it so much that, though there 
was no occasion to have gone on with snake soup after we got 
to the village, I continued to give it to you, for it is very 
nourishing. ’ ’ 

“ Well, I am glad you did not tell me at the time, but I 
must own that it was excellent, and I think that in future I 
shall have no objection to snake in that form.” 

“They are just as good in other ways,” Stanley replied. 
“ The Burmans are no fools, and I consider that snake and 
lizards are very much better eating than their mutton, which 
is tasteless stuff* at the best. ’ ’ 

“ We shall have to have a big settlement when we get 
back, Stanley. Of course all those men you paid and the 
guards you bribed are entirely my account, to say nothing of 
my share of the general expenditure. ’ ’ 

“ The general expenses are practically nothing, Harry. I 
invited you to come with me, and of course you were my 
guest. As to the other matter, that also is my business. I 
would not say so if I had not plenty of funds, but what 
with my pay as interpreter, and the year of back pay that 
I got when the Gazette came out, I have plenty out of my 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


m 

income to pay for it without breaking in upon the amount I 
told you I had got for those rubies.” 

“ I should pay you, Stanley, if you were rolling in money. 
Not that I should mind taking money from you if I wanted it, 
but my expenses since I landed here have not been anything 
approaching my pay and allowances ; and I have besides, as I 
told you, an income of ;£5oo a year of my own. You have 
risked your life for me, and I am not going to let you pay the 
piper as well.” 

All right, if it pleases you, Harry. I am delighted at 
having been able to save you, and just at present money does 
not seem an important matter one way or the other, so if it 
really would be a satisfaction to you to pay I will certainly 
not deprive you of it.” 

Although they only travelled ten miles the first day, Harry 
acknowledged that he was as tired as a dog when he dis- 
mounted, and was so stiff the next morning that he had to be 
helped on to his horse. However, this gradually wore off, 
and on the evening of the fourth day, they arrived at Prome. 
Leaving Harry at his regimental camp, Stanley rode to the 
headquarters, and there dismounted. Meinik had led the 
second horse after Harry dismounted, and now took them 
both across to the lines with the air of a man who has only 
been away a few hours. Stanley at once went up to the 
general. 

‘‘Welcome back, lad!” Sir Archibald said, “you have 
been longer away than we expected when you started. I 
am glad, indeed, that you succeeded in rescuing your cousin ; 
and we are all burning to hear about it. I wrote that note to 
you in a hurry, for I was on the point of going on a round of 
inspection of the camp when your sowar arrived. I intended 
to question him concerning you on my return, for I had no 
idea that after making such a long journey he would start back 


REJOINING 


m 


at once, but I found that he had ridden straight off directly 
the note was handed to him. You must dine with me to- 
day, and tell me all the story. I see from the colour of 
your skin that you have been in disguise again.” 

“Yes, sir ; there were materials for dyeing the skin in the 
village, but nothing that availed to take it off. It is gradu- 
ally going, and as I shall be now able to get some strong 
alkali from the doctor, I hope I shall be presentable by to- 
morrow. ’ ’ 

“ They are honourable marks,” the general said with a 
smile. “ I don’t think any of us would mind being so 
coloured for a bit if we had done such good work as you 
have ; but I won’t detain you now, for dinner will be ready in 
half an hour.” 

Stanley hurried to his room, took a bath, donned his mess 
uniform, and was ready by the time the bugle sounded. 
Three or four of the staff were, as usual, members of the party. 
After the meal was over, he was requested to narrate his 
adventures at full length. The story was necessarily a long 
one, and when he concluded all joined the general in hearty 
commendation for the manner in which he had carried out 
the adventure. 

“Your last story was a stirring one, Mr. Brooke,” the 
general said; “ but this is even more so. When I received 
your first note I thought it next door to madness for you to 
try to get your cousin, badly wounded as you knew him to 
be, from the hands of the Burmese. It is not an easy thing 
to get any man out of prison, but when the man was unable 
to help himself it seemed well-nigh impossible ; and I was 
greatly afraid that, instead of saving his life, you would lose 
your own. Of course, the fact that you had successfully 
traversed the country before, was strongly in your favour ; 
but then you were unencumbered, and the two things were. 


278 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


therefore, not to be compared with each other. I shall, of 
course, put you in orders to-morrow as having performed a 
singularly gallant action in rescuing Lieutenant Brooke of 
the 47th and a sowar from their captivity by the Burmese in 
a prison at Toungoo. You have arrived just in time, for after 
endeavouring to fool us for the past three months by negotia- 
tions never meant to come to anything, the enemy are now 
advancing in great force, and are within a few miles of the 
town. So we are likely to have hot work of it, for, from all 
accounts, they have got nearly as large an army together 
as Bandoola had. I don’t know whether they have learned 
anything from his misfortunes, but I am bound to say that the 
court does not seem to have taken the lesson in the slightest 
degree to heart, and their arrogance is just as insufferable as it 
was before a shot was fired.” 

Stanley learnt that there had already been one fight. The 
enemy were advancing in three columns ; their right, consist 
ing of 15,000 men, commanded by Sudda Woon, had 
crossed the Irrawaddy and was marching down the other 
bank with the apparent object of recrossing below Prome and 
cutting the British line of communication; the centre, from 
25,000 to 30,000 strong, commanded by the Kee Wongee, 
was coming down the left bank of the river accompanied by a 
great fleet of war boats ; the left division, 15,000 strong, led 
by an old and experienced general, Maha Nemiow, was mov- 
ing parallel with the others, about ten miles distant from the 
centre, but separated from it by a thick and impenetrable 
forest ; a reserve of 10,000 men, commanded by the king’s 
half-brother, occupied a strongly fortified post at Melloon. 
In addition to these, a large force was gathered near Pegu, 
and threatened an attack upon Rangoon. On the loth of 
November, a fortnight before Stanley’s return, two brigades 
of native infantry, under Colonel Do wall, had marched 


REJOINING 


279 


out to dislodge Maha Nemiow, whose division threatened to 
turn the British right and to move round to its rear. 

The force was divided into three columns, one moving 
directly towards the enemy’s position, the others marching by 
circuitous routes, so arranged as to arrive at the point of 
attack at the same time, were to attack in flank and rear, 
while the main body assailed the enemy in front. The Bur- 
mese had, however, obtained information from spies of the 
intended movement, and advancing boldly met the British 
columns half way, skirmishing with them hotly in the woods 
and threatening an attack by large bodies of horse. The cen- 
tre drove the Burmese before them and reached their stock- 
aded position. Colonel M‘Dowall, while reconnoitring it, 
was killed by a ball from a musket ; and as the two flanking 
columns did not arrive as expected, the force was compelled 
to fall back. The retreat was conducted in good order, but 
the loss was heavy, as the Burmese pressed hotly upon them 
for several miles. 

Since this unfortunate affair the enemy had steadily ad- 
vanced. Maha Nemiow had moved directly upon Prome, 
advancing slowly, and constantly stockading himself. The 
centre had also advanced, and was now fortifying some 
heights above the river five miles away, within sight of 
Prome. Sudda Woon was intrenching himself on the oppo- 
site bank. All these divisions were working day and night, 
advancing steadily but slowly and erecting formidable lines 
of intrenchments as they went ; and it seemed to be the inten- 
tion of the Burmese general to proceed in that manner until 
the whole of his troops were gathered within a very short dis- 
tance of the town, and then to rush upon it from all sides. 

In the morning Stanley went to the lines of the 47th. 
Harry had of course told his story on his arrival, and the tale 
had circulated generally through the regiment, and as he rode 


280 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


in, the men ran out from their huts and cheered him heartily. 
No less warm a greeting did he receive from the officers, in 
spite of his protest that there had really been no great diffi- 
culty or danger in the affair. 

What I specially admire,” one of the officers said, laugh- 
ing, ‘‘ is that any man should have run all this risk on pur- 
pose to prevent himself from coming into an earldom. You 
had only to leave the matter alone, and there you were — heir 
to title and estates.” 

I should have been haunted by Harry’s ghost,” Stanley 
laughed. “ It would have been as bad as Banquo and Mac- 
beth ; he would have sat at my table and stood at the head of 
my bed. No, no; that would have been a much more seri- 
ous affair to face, than a party of Burmese. The title and 
estates would have been too dear at the price.” 

“ Well, you behaved like a brick, anyhow,” the colonel 
said, and there is not a man in the regiment who would not 
have been proud indeed if he had accomplished such a feat. 
Half my subalterns were talking at dinner last night of learn- 
ing the language, so that if the chance fell in their way they 
might emulate your doings.” 

“It is rather a tough language to master,” Stanley replied. 
“It gave me more trouble than the four or five Indian lan- 
guages I speak. I am afraid the campaign will be over a long 
time before any of your officers learn to talk Burmese well 
enough to pass as natives.” 

After the failure of the expedition of the loth no further 
effort had been made against the enemy. Indeed, the troops 
had been withdrawn from their outlying positions, and there 
had even been a feint made of embarking stores, as if with the 
intention of retiring down the river, in hopes of tempting the 
Burmese to make an attack. 

The season had now come when operations could again be 


REJOINING 


281 


carried on, and the general was anxious to strike a decisive 
blow at the enemy, and then to set forward on the march 
towards Ava. As to the result of the fight, no one entertained 
the slightest doubt, although the disparity in numbers was very 
great, for while the Burmese commander had nearly 70,000 
men at his disposal, Sir Archibald Campbell had no more 
than 6,000, of whom about one-half were British. It was de- 
termined that the main attack should be made on the division 
of Maha Nemiow. 

This was now some six or seven miles away, and beyond 
the fact that it was very strongly intrenched in the jungle, no 
information whatever could be gained ; for the most vigilant 
watch was kept up by them, and all efforts to pass native spies 
into their lines failed. But it was known that among his 
division were 8,00.0 Shans from Upper Burma; and as these 
men had not hitherto come in contact with us, it was ex- 
pected that they would fight with more courage and resolu- 
tion than those who had become acquainted with our power. 
A large number of princes and nobles were with the force ; 
and great reliance was placed by the Burmese upon three 
young ladies of high rank who were believed by them to be 
endowed with supernatural gifts, and to have the power of 
rendering the missiles of the English innocuous. These young 
women, dressed in warlike costume, constantly rode among 
the troops, animating them by their presence, and exhorting 
them to deeds of courage. The English had received vague 
rumours of the doings of these Burmese Joans of Arc, and 
thought it probable that the enemy would fight better than 
usual. 

On November 30th arrangements were made for attacking 
the enemy on the following morning. The flotilla were to 
open a furious cannonade upon their works on both sides of 
the river ; a body of native infantry were to drive in the ad- 


28 ^ 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


vance posts of the centre, while the main force was to attack 
their left in two columns, one moving directly against it, 
while the other was to attack on the right flank, thus pre- 
venting the enemy from retreating in the direction of the cen- 
tre. Four regiments of native infantry were left in Prome. 

General Cotton commanded the main attack, and soon 
after the column moved out from the camp a tremendous can- 
nonade showed that the flotilla was engaged with the Burmese 
on both sides of the river. The column, which was com- 
posed of the 41st and 89th Regiments, with two battalions of 
native infantry, proceeded some distance before becoming en- 
gaged with the enemy’s outposts, as the Burmese had been 
deceived by the cannonade and believed that the attack was 
entirely upon the centre ; the troops, therefore, reached their 
main position around two native villages without serious 
opposition. As they issued from the jungle into the cleared 
space in front of the stockade they rapidly formed up under a 
tremendous fire and rushed forward to the attack. The old 
Burmese general, who was too infirm to walk, could be seen 
carried from point to point in a litter cheering on his 
men, while the three Amazons exposed themselves fearlessly to 
the fire. The ladder parties, however, rushed forward un- 
checked, and, in spite of the opposition of the enemy, scaled 
the stockade at one point and won a footing on the ram- 
part of earth behind it. 

Others pressed after them, and soon a destructive fire was 
opened upon the crowded mass pent up between the outer 
stockade and the next. The Burmese method of forming 
stockade behind stockade was useful against a foe of no 
greater dash and energy than themselves, but was absolutely 
fatal when opposed to English troops, who gave them no time 
to fall back through the narrow openings in the palings. 
These were soon blocked by the dying and dead. Some 



THE OLD lUTRMESE GENERAL WAS CARRIED FROM POINT TO POINT IN A LITTER 




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REJOINING 


283 


of the Shans, led by their chiefs, fought with desperate 
courage, but were unable to stand the advance of the British, 
whose steady volleys, poured in at distances of a few yards, 
swept them away. Wounded horses rushing wildly about 
in the throng added to the terrible confusion. Groups of 
men endeavoured to cut a way through the stockades behind, 
others strove to climb over. Maha Nemiow was killed while 
bravely exhorting his men to stand their ground, and one of 
the heroic Amazons was shot. As soon as the troops reached 
the spot where she fell and saw that she was a woman, she was 
carried into a cottage, and there died a few hours afterwards. 

Stockade after stockade was carried until the whole position 
fell into our hands. In the meantime the other column, com- 
manded by General Campbell himself, and consisting of the 
13th, 38th, 47th, and 87th Regiments and the 38th Madras 
Infantry, had moved down on the other side of the Nawine 
river and taken up a position to command the ford there, by 
which the fugitives from the stockade must cross on their way 
to join the centre. As the crowd of frightened men issued 
from the jungle and poured across the ford, the artillery 
opened upon them with shrapnel and completed their dis- 
comfiture. All thought of joining the centre was abandoned, 
and, re-entering the jungle, they scattered, and the greater 
portion of them started for their homes, intent only on avoid- 
ing another contest with their foes. Another of the Burmese 
heroines was killed at the ford. Three hundred men had 
been killed at the storming of the stockade, but a far greater 
loss took place in the retreat, very few of the Shans ever 
regaining their country, the greater portion perishing from 
starvation in the great forests through which they travelled in 
order to escape the Burmese authorities, who would have 
forced them to rejoin the army. 


284 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


CHAPTER XVII 


THE PRIDE OF BURMA HUMBLED 


S soon as the victory was completed the troops piled arms, 



and were allowed two hours’ rest. Then they marched 
back to the point where General Campbell’s division had 
forded the Nawine river in the morning. From this point a 
path led towards the enemy’s centre ; this it was determined 
to attack at daybreak on the following morning before the 
news of the defeat of its left could reach it. The day had 
been a long and fatiguing one, and it was late before the 
troops all reached their halting-place. A meal was served out, 
and then all lay down to rest. A messenger was sent to 
Prome to announce the success that had been gained, and 
to request the commander of the flotilla to open fire in 
the morning as soon as the foe was seen to issue from the 
jungle in front of the Wongee’s main position at Napadee. 

Long before daylight the troops were in motion. General 
Campbell’s division led the way along the narrow track lead- 
ing towards the river, while General Cotton, who followed, 
was ordered to break off at any path which led towards the 
Burmese division, to make his way through the forest, and to 
attack the stockades directly he reached them. The main 
division would attack as soon as they heard his guns. 

After a two hours’ march the first division came out on 
open ground by the river side, signalled their arrival to the 
flotilla, and formed up in front of the stockaded heights of 
Napadee. The position was an extremely strong one. The 
enemy occupied three ranges of hills rising one behind the 
other, and each commanding the one in front of it. One 
flank of these hills was protected by the river, the other by 


THE PRIDE OF BURMA HUMBLED 


285 


the almost impenetrable forest. The hills were all covered 
with stockades ; and as they moved forward, the troops were 
exposed to so heavy a fire from an enemy entrenched at the 
edge of the jungle on the right, that before they could 
advance further, it was necessary to first drive them from this 
position. Six companies of the 87th were sent back into the 
forest, and making their way through this, came down in the 
rear of the stockades, speedily cleared them of their defenders, 
and compelled the advance force of the enemy to join their 
main body. 

The troops then moved forward to the foot of the first hill, 
where two strong redoubts had been erected by the enemy. 
The fleet opened fire, but the column was halted for a time 
awaiting the sound of firing that should tell them General 
Cotton’s column was engaged. No sound, however, was heard, 
for this force had been unable to make its way through the 
dense forest, and General Campbell at last gave the order for 
the attack. It was commenced by the 47th and 38th Native 
Infantry under Colonel Elvington, who pushed through the 
jungle and forest until they reached some of the flanking out- 
works on the hill. These they attacked with such dash and 
determination that they speedily obtained possession of them, 
and thus produced a favourable diversion for the main attack. 
This, consisting of the 13th, 38th, and 87th Regiments, ad- 
vanced steadily without returning a shot to the incessant fire 
from the enemy’s various entrenchments, captured the two 
redoubts at the bottom of the hill, and then pressed upwards, 
carrying position after position at the point of the bayonet, 
till they arrived at the summit of the first hill. 

The Burmese fugitives, as they fled to the next line of de- 
fence, shook the courage of the troops there, and the British 
pushing forward hotly on the rear of the flying crowd, carried 
work after work, until in the course of an hour the whole 


286 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


position, nearly three miles in extent, was entirely in their 
possession. Between forty and fifty guns were captured, and 
the enemy’s loss in killed and wounded was very great, while 
by desertion alone the Wongee lost a third of his army. 
While the attack had been going on, the flotilla had passed the 
works protecting the river face of the hills, and had captured 
all the boats and stores filled with supplies for the use of the 
Burmese army. 

Thus two of the three Burmese divisions had now been 
completely routed, and there remained only that of Sudda 
Woon on the other side of the river. The troops were al- 
lowed two days’ rest, and on the morning of the 5 th a force 
advanced on board the flotilla. Their passage across the 
river was covered by the fire of a rocket-brigade and a mor- 
tar-battery, which had on the previous night been established 
on an island, and they landed at some distance above the 
enemy’s stockades. They then marched round and attacked 
these in flank and rear, while the batteries and boats of the 
flotilla cannonaded them in front. 

The enemy’s troops were already disheartened by the defeat 
they had seen inflicted upon the Wongee’s army, and after a 
feeble resistance fled to a second line of stockades in the jun- 
gle to their rear. The troops, however, pressed so hotly 
upon them that they were unable to make any effectual 
opposition here. Numbers fell while endeavouring to pass 
through the narrow entrances of the work, and the rest fled in 
terror into the woods. 

These extensive operations had been carried out with the 
loss of six officers and some seventy or eighty men only. 

It was known that the enemy had very strongly fortified 
several positions in and around Meaday, and it was deter- 
mined to push forward at once on the long march of three 
hundred miles to Ava, before the enemy could rally from their 


THE PRIDE OF BURMA HUMBLED 


287 


defeat and gather for the defence of these positions. On the 
9th the first division, under General Campbell himself, started 
from Prome. The roads were extremely bad, and they were 
able to move but slowly. Their course was first directed 
inland, as it was intended to turn the enemy’s position at 
Meaday, by following a road several miles from the river and 
thus forcing them to fall back as we advanced. On the next 
day the force reached the spot where Colonel M^Dowall had 
been killed in the unsuccessful attack upon Maha Nemiow, and 
it then turned north and followed the road parallel to the 
liver. 

On the 12th tremendous rains for some hours converted the 
road into a morass, and although the march was but five miles 
long, the greater portion of the column failed to reach its 
destination. This, however, was not the worst. Cholera 
broke out at once, and carried off a large number of victims 
— two of the British regiments being rendered almost unfit for 
service by its ravages. On the 14th the division encamped 
on dry ground, on a ridge of wooded hills, and waited for a 
couple of days to allow the baggage train to come up. The 
change greatly benefited the health of the troops, and amuse- 
ment was afforded by the partridges, jungle-fowl, and deer 
which abounded in the neighbourhood of the camp. Up to 
this point no single native had been seen, the villages were all 
destroyed, and the country was completely deserted. On the 
1 6th a strong Burmese fortification was taken, it being unoc- 
cupied save by a small picket, which retired on our advance. 
This had evidently been erected for the purpose of preventing 
the river fortifications from being turned, and its abandonment 
proved that the object of the land march had been gained, 
and that the enemy had abandoned the positions they had 
with so much care prepared for the defence of the river. 

On the 1 8th they joined General Cotton’s column, and the 


288 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


next day entered Meaday. Here a terrible spectacle was met 
with. The town and the ground within the stockades was 
strewn with dead and dying, some from wounds, others from 
cholera — for the ravages of this plague had been as great among 
the Burmese as in the British force. A number of men were 
found crucified on gibbets, doubtless as a punishment for 
attempting to desert. The air was pestilent, and the force 
was glad indeed to march on the next morning from the 
locality. They gained something, but not much, from the 
change. For the next fifty miles dead bodies were met with 
at very short intervals, and each day before camping many 
corpses had to be removed before the tents could be fixed. It 
was now known that the Burmese army, in its retreat, had 
been concentrated at Melloon, where the reserve of 10,000 
men had been posted. On the 27th the division encamped 
within four miles of that town. They had now marched a 
hundred and forty miles from Prome without meeting a single 
inhabitant of the country or being enabled to obtain any 
cattle whatever for the supply of the troops, so elfectually had 
the enemy wasted the country as they retired. 

Melloon stood on the opposite bank of the Irrawaddy, 
and letters had arrived from that town, saying that a com- 
missioner had arrived from Ava with full powers from the 
king to conclude a treaty of peace. Colonel Adair and 
Stanley accordingly were sent off the next morning to 
Melloon to arrange for an immediate meeting for the com- 
missioners. However, they could come to no arrangement, 
the Burmese leaders insisting that so important a business 
could only be carried on when a favourable day arrived, 
and that no time could at present be stated. Seeing that 
the principal object of the Burmese was to gain time, the 
colonel informed them, through Stanley, that as no arrange- 
ments had been made, the troops would recommence their 


THE PRIDE OF BURMA HUMBLED 


289 


advance as soon as he returned to the camp, and accordingly 
the next morning the division moved forward to a town im- 
mediately opposite Melloon. That place stood on the face of 
a sloping hill, and as the Irrawaddy was here but 600 yards 
broad, a good view was obtained of the fortifications. The 
principal stockade was in the form of a square, about a mile 
on each face, mounting a considerable number of guns, espe- 
cially on the side facing the river, and a succession of stock- 
ades extended for a mile farther along the banks. The great 
work was crowded with men. 

In front of the town lay a large fleet of war-boats, and 
larger craft with stores. A short time after the troops 
reached the spot, a great noise of gongs, drums, and other 
warlike instruments arose on the other side, and crowds of 
boatmen were seen running down to the vessels. These 
were soon manned, and oars got out, and they began to 
row up the river. As, owing to the intricacy of the channel, 
the steamboat and flotilla had not yet arrived, a few shots 
were fired at the boats by the field-guns. This had the 
desired effect, many of the boatmen jumping overboard, 
leaving their craft to drift down the river, while the great 
bulk hastily turned their vessels about, and anchored in 
their former position. As soon as the steamer with the 
flotilla came up, two war-boats pushed off from shore, saluted 
the steamer, and rowed alongside of her, until she and the 
flotilla were safely anchored above the town. This was so 
evidently a mark of a real desire for the suspension of hostil- 
ities that the two officers were again sent across the river. 
A truce was agreed upon, and an arrangement made for the 
meeting of the negotiators upon the following day. 

Four meetings were held between the two commissioners 
and those appointed by the British general, the meetings 
taking place on boats moored in the centre of the river. 

19 


290 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


At length the treaty was accepted and signed by the Bur- 
mese, and fifteen days’ truce allowed for the ratification of 
the treaty by the king. As the end of that period ap- 
proached, the Burmese protested that they had not yet re- 
ceived an answer, and asked for further time, which was 
refused, unless on the condition that Melloon was evacuated, 
and the Burmese army fell back until the ratification of the 
treaty reached them. As had been for some time strongly 
suspected, the negotiations were simply a device to arrest our 
advance, and the treaty was afterwards found in the Burmese 
camp, it never having been forwarded to Ava. At midnight, 
on the 1 8th, when the armistice came to a conclusion, the 
troops began throwing up earthworks, the heavy guns were 
landed from the flotilla, and at ten o’clock the next morning 
twenty-eight guns were in position ready to open fire. 

In spite of remonstrances that had been made, the Bur- 
mese had, night after night during the armistice, continued 
to work surreptitiously at their entrenchments. It was hoped 
for a moment that when they saw the speed with which our 
batteries had been thrown up and armed they would offer no 
farther resistance. As, however, they were evidently pre- 
paring for action our guns opened fire at eleven o’clock. 
This was kept up for two hours. While it was going on, 
the troops intended for the assault were embarked in boats 
some distance up the river so as to ensure their not being 
carried by the force of the stream across the face of the Bur- 
mese works and exposed to the concentrated fire of the enemy. 
They were divided into four brigades, the first of which, con- 
sisting of the 13th and 38th Regiments under Lieutenant- 
colonel Sale, were to land below the stockade, and to attack 
its south-western angle, while the other three brigades were to 
land above it, to carry some outworks there, and to attack 
the northern face. 


THE PRIDE OF BURMA HUMBLED 


291 


A strong northerly wind and the violent current prevented 
the assaults being made simultaneously. The first brigade 
was carried too far across, and as it passed the stockade was 
exposed to the fire of the guns and musketry of the river 
defences, while the three other brigades were unable for 
some time to reach their intended landing-places. Colonel 
Sale was among those wounded by the Burmese fire, but 
directly the first brigade reached the shore they formed up 
under the partial cover of a shelving bank, and, led by 
Lieutenant-colonel Frith, moved forward to the assault in 
admirable order. When within a short distance, there w'as 
a forward rush, in spite of the storm of shot, the ladder-party 
gained the foot of the stockade, and placing the ladders, 
climbed up, and leapt down among the surging crowd of 
the enemy. Others followed, and soon a firm footing was 
obtained in the works. Then the men of the two regiments, 
whose total strength did not exceed five hundred, advanced 
steadily, drove before them some 10,000 armed men, and 
expelled them from the works that the Burmese had deemed 
impregnable. 

While this was going on the other three brigades had 
landed above the stockade, and now falling upon the enemy 
as they poured out from their works, completed their defeat. 
All the stockades were carried, and the whole of the artillery 
and stores fell into our possession. 

Four days later the army again began its advance. They 
were met by four Englishmen who had been taken prisoners, 
and an American, who had also been held in confinement. 
These had been sent to assure the English general that the 
king was in earnest in his desire for peace. It was but 
too evident, however, that no confidence could be placed 
in Burmese negotiations, and it was, moreover, known that 
another army was being assembled in the greatest haste to 


292 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


bar the advance. On the 14th of February the British reached 
Pakang-Yay, having passed Sembeughewn on the opposite 
shore. This was the point where the road from Aracan 
reached the Irrawaddy, and it had been arranged that the 
force that had been operating in Aracan should, if possible, 
effect a junction with Sir Archibald Campbell here. 

A message brought down by a native was, however, re- 
ceived, stating that the force had suffered very severely from 
fever and cholera, and that the natural obstacles were found 
to be too great to be overcome by troops debilitated by 
disease, that the attempt had therefore been abandoned. 
Fortunately the English general was well able to do without 
this addition to his strength. He had already proved that 
his command was perfectly capable of defeating any Burmese 
force that could be brought against him, and an addition 
would only have increased the difficulty of transport. On 
the 9th of March the British force, which, owing to the 
necessity for leaving strong bodies to hold Melloon and 
other points that had been captured, now mustered less than 
2,000 fighting men, advanced to attack the enemy, whose 
numbers were estimated at 16,000. The new commander of 
the Burmese adopted other tactics than his predecessors. His 
stockaded position was in front of the town of Pagahn, but 
he occupied the jungle in great force and attacked our advance 
guard five miles from the town. 

As the enemy occupied the hills on both sides of the main 
road, Sir A. Campbell divided his force and led half of it 
through the jungle on the right, while General Cotton led the 
other half through the woods on the left. The Burmese 
fought with considerable obstinacy. General Campbell and 
his staff, with thirty-eight troopers and fifty men of the 13th, 
were somewhat in advance of the column, when the enemy 
closed in on both flanks and even got in their rear. These 


THE PRIDE OF BURMA HUMBLED 


293 


were, however, dispersed by the rest of the 13th, and, driv- 
ing back the Burmese on the flanks, the advance was con- 
tinued. Presently, however, as the British issued from the 
jungle, a mass of the enemy’s horse charged down, drove back 
the skirmishers, and for a time the position of the general and 
his staff was one of great peril. 

His little body of troopers, however, dashed boldly at the 
assailants and held them in check until the guns that had fol- 
lowed the staff were brought forward from the jungle ; then 
the troopers divided and rode right and left, and the guns, 
opening fire, checked the assailants until the infantry came 
up. The Burmese army was now seen drawn up in the form 
of a semicircle in the open. The two British columns were 
united and together moved forward to attack the centre of 
the crescent, disregarding the fire from its wings. When 
within charging distance, they went forward with a rush, and, 
cheering lustily, fell upon the Burmese, and broke their cen- 
tre, thus isolating the two wings. The Burmese at once re- 
treated with the greatest haste to the stockaded position in 
their rear. As usual the narrow entrances to the stockades 
caused great delay, and the British were upon them before 
they were in any way prepared to resist the assault. Herald- 
ing their advance by sweeping volleys they fell upon the Bur- 
mese with the bayonet and drove them out of their works. 
The enemy made an attempt to rally behind the walls and in 
the pagodas of the town, but the effort was vain ; they were 
driven out with great slaughter, hundreds were drowned in 
endeavouring to swim the river, and the army was finally dis- 
persed in all directions. 

The effect of this victory was at once apparent. The 
country people who had, on the advance of the British force 
from Prome, been cleared out from the villages along the 
whole line of route, being now freed from the restraint of 


294 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


their troops, came flocking back in great numbers, some by 
the roads and some in boats ; and it was evident that they re- 
garded the struggle as definitely terminated. There was, in- 
deed, no possibility of further resistance, as the armies of 
Burma, raised with immense difficulty and by heavy bounties 
and the promises of great reward, were hopelessly scattered, 
and Ava lay open to the British advance. In other directions 
their position was equally desperate. Aracan had been 
wholly rescued from their grasp. A British force in Pegu 
had marched up the river Sitang, and after the repulse of a 
party of a hundred and fifty men imprudently sent to attack 
Sitang itself, captured the place after a sharp fight, and, re- 
ceiving reinforcements from Rangoon, continued their way 
up the river and captured Toimgoo ; while the northern force 
had driven the Burmese out of Manipur, and had reached 
the river Ningti by the 2d of February, and were in a posi- 
tion to advance direct upon Ava. 

After a halt of two days. General Campbell advanced on 
the 1 2th of February; Mr. Price, the American who had 
been sent down after the capture of Melloon, went forward to 
Ava with the treaty that had been drawn up before the capt- 
ure of that place ; and the king had no longer any hesita- 
tion in complying with its terms, and was, indeed, delighted 
to find that the recent victory of the invaders had not in- 
creased their demands. He at once sent down to accept 
them, but as no official ratification was sent, the march con- 
tinued, while Mr. Price again returned to Ava. When the 
force was within four days’ march of the capital the latter 
returned with the Burmese commissioners and other high 
functionaries with the ratified treaty, and the first instalment 
of the money that was to be paid. 

It was a disappointment to the army that after their long 
march and many sufferings they were not to be allowed to 


THE PRIDE OF BURMA HUMBLED 


295 


enter the enemy’s capital in triumph. Undoubtedly, how- 
ever, the course taken was the wisest. Ava was regarded as a 
sacred city, and it was to save it from the humiliation of 
being occupied by the invaders that the king had brought 
himself to accept the terms of the treaty. Had the English 
general insisted upon entering the capital and signing the 
treaty there, he would have found no one to meet him, the 
population would have been driven out, the king and court 
would have retired farther up the country, and the war might 
have continued for an indefinite time. 

Already its cost had been enormous, exceeding ^^5, 000,000 
sterling. During the first eleven months after landing at 
Rangoon, nearly half of the Europeans died, and from the 
time they advanced from that town with fresh reinforce- 
ments from India, to the arrival near Ava, a similarly heavy 
loss was sustained. Four per cent, of the number engaged 
was killed in action. The climate of Aracan was still more 
deadly, as three-fourths of the white troops employed there 
died, and very few of the survivors were ever fit for service 
afterwards. The sepoys suffered less in Aracan, losing only 
ten per cent, of their number, though nearly half the force 
were in hospital for some time. 

According to agreement, the Burmese, as soon as peace was 
concluded, sent down a large number of boats for the convey- 
ance of the troops down the river. As they descended it, the 
garrisons left at Melloon and other places were withdrawn. 
One of the native regiments with some elephants and guns left 
the force at Sembeughewn, and marched thence to Aracan, for 
the purpose of investigating the country and proving whether 
it was practicable for the passage of troops in case another 
advance upon Ava should ever be necessary. They found the 
road unexpectedly good, and met with no resistance whatever, 
except in the passage of some passes over the mountains. 


296 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


At Melloon, Stanley was very glad to meet his cousin again, 
for the 47th had been left in garrison there. Harry had been 
down again with a sharp attack of fever, but was now recov- 
ering. 

“So it is all over, Stanley, and your chances of an earldom 
have nearly slipped through your fingers.” 

“lam glad, indeed, that it is so,” Stanley laughed, “ in 
the first place, because I could only have succeeded to it at 
your death ; and in the second place, because I have no 
ambition whatever for a title. I am not nineteen yet, and should 
greatly prefer to make my own way, than to find myself with 
nothing whatever to do, except to spend money as it dropped 
into my lap. Now that everything is settled, and that Aracan 
has become English, and we have the seaports on the Tenas- 
serim coast, trade will increase tremendously. You may be 
sure that the Burmese will be only too glad to flock into our 
provinces, and to live under a fair rule, to escape the tyranny 
of their own officials, and my uncle is just the man to take 
advantage of the new openings. I don’t say that I want to 
live out here all my life. At any rate I hope by the time that 
I am thirty to be able to come home for a year’s holiday, and 
it is just possible that by then we may have grown into such a 
big firm that we may establish headquarters in London, instead 
of getting all our goods from Calcutta. 

“ There is certain to be a very big trade here in teak alone. 
The price in Pegue is a great deal below that in India, and if 
we had a house in London, we should avoid having to pay 
commissions, and perhaps get better prices for our wood. Of 
course, my uncle may by that time think of retiring himself, 
and in that case I might have to stay somewhat longer out here, 
but I know that he likes the climate, and I have heard him say 
that, as he has very few acquaintances in England, he thinks 
that he should prefer a life in Calcutta to one in London.” 


THE PRIDE OF BURMA HUMBLED 


297 


I should not wonder if I go home very shortly,” Harry 
said ; my last letter told me that my uncle was in failing 
health, and that he would like to have me at home with him. 
If the next letter confirms that, I am afraid I shall have 
either to resign my commission or exchange into a regi- 
ment at home. Of course, at his death I should have to leave 
the army anyhow. It would be ridiculous for a subaltern to 
be an earl ; besides, there are things one would have to do. 
I suppose there are estates to be looked after, and all sorts of 
nuisances. Anyhow I shall always be glad I have had my 
share in this expedition ; I have learned what campaigning is, 
and I must say that under such circumstances as we have 
gone through, it is not quite so pleasurable as I had expected. 
Half one’s friends are dead or invalided home, and one 
never knows when one wakes in the morning whether one 
may not be down with cholera before night. The fighting 
is all well enough, but, after all, that takes up but a very 
small portion of one’s time, and marching, and I may say, 
living generally in this hot, sweltering climate, with its 
six months of rain, is not enviable work. However, I 
have gone through one regular campaign, and that as severe 
a one as British troops have ever performed, and, above all, 
old man, I have met you, and we have come to be great 
friends, and I have learned what one fellow will do for an- 
other.” 

I am sure I am very glad to have gone through it, too. 
I have been fortunate indeed in never having been laid up for 
a single day, and there is no doubt that having served on the 
staff will be of great advantage to me even as a trader. I own 
that I should like to have retired a captain. Of course, pro- 
motion has been tremendously fast owing to the death vacan- 
cies, but I have still two lieutenants over me.” 

You are sure to get the step, Stanley. You have been in 


298 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


general orders twice, besides that notice you got for my res- 
cue ; also, the doctors say that a number of the men who 
have been sent down to the coast are not likely to live many 
weeks, and as five of your seniors have been invalided, you 
may get your step, in the natural course of things, at any mo- 
ment. If I were you I should ask for three months’ leave 
before rejoining your regiment. There will be no difficulty 
about that after you have been upwards of two years in con- 
stant work, and the general will certainly not refuse. Before 
the end of that time you will have seen your uncle and talked 
matters over. Then, if you choose to resign your commission, 
you can, of course, do so ; but as you are pretty sure to get 
your step by death before the end of the three months, and as 
the general’s despatches strongly recommend your services, 
you may get your brevet majority before your resignation 
reaches England. A man who has been mentioned two or 
three times in despatches, and is specially recommended for 
honours, is sure to get his brevet majority directly he gets his 
company.” 

On reaching Rangoon, Stanley learned that two of the 
invalids had died either on the way down or before they could 
be put on board a ship, and that one of the majors, who had 
been sent to India for change four months before, had also 
succumbed, so that he had already obtained his company — a 
promotion which would have been at any other time extraor- 
dinary, but which in a campaign where half those engaged 
were carried off was nothing remarkable. Being still on the 
headquarter staff, he embarked with Sir Archibald Campbell. 

‘‘You still hold firm to your determination to leave the 
service, Captain Brooke,” the general said, in the course of 
the passage to Calcutta. 

“ Yes, sir ; I am sure that it is best for me.” 

“ I think it is, Brooke. Of course, you have been excep- 


THE PRIDE OF BURMA HUMBLED 


299 


tionally fortunate in getting such rapid promotion. Still, a 
good business is a great deal better than soldiering. I wrote 
very strongly in your favour when I sent off my despatches 
the day we came down to the coast, and you are certain of 
your brevet. Still, it is just as well that the news of your 
resignation should not get home before the Gazette comes out 
with your name in it. I think the best thing that I can do is 
to give you leave for a time as soon as we get to Calcutta. I 
am sure that you deserve a rest, for your work has been terri- 
bly heavy.” 

“ Thank you, sir ; that was just the favour that I was going 
to ask you. I shall find out as soon as I get there where my 
uncle is, and join him. My own mind is quite made up, but 
he has certainly a right to be consulted before I take any 
final step. ’ ’ 

Quite right. I feel no doubt that his opinion will agree 
with yours, and I think that you are showing a good deal 
more wisdom than most fellows would do, to give up the ser- 
vice when you have distinguished yourself and have a much 
better chance than falls to the lot of one man in a hundred. 
Still, there can be no real doubt that a man in a good busi- 
ness out here can retire early and go home with a fortune, 
while in the army you are liable at any time, after you get to 
the rank of colonel, to be laid on the shelf for years. Be- 
sides, you will be your own master, which is more than any- 
one in the army can say. You can go home when you like 
either for a stay or for a permanency, and you are not liable 
to have to run the risk of another campaign such as this has 
been.” 

“ If one was sure of campaigns, I don’t think that I could 
possibly bring myself to leave the service, but it is the prob- 
ability of being kept for three or four years at a time, doing 
nothing, at Calcutta or Madras that decided me.” 


300 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


The general nodded. You are quite right, Brooke; on 
active service a soldier’s life is, indeed, a stirring one, but 
there is nothing more dull and monotonous than garrison life 
in peace time.” 

Accordingly as soon as they landed in Calcutta, Stanley 
was put in orders for absence on leave for three months. He 
learned from his uncle’s agent that they had heard from him 
only a few days before at Chittagong, and that he was then on 
the point of leaving for Aracan, whither he had ordered a large 
consignment of goods to be forwarded to him by the next 
ship. Three days later, Stanley started to join him, leav- 
ing his address at Aracan with Sir Archibald Campbell, 
in case there should be need to recall him before the three 
months’ leave expired. The vessel in which he was sailing 
carried the consignment of goods to his uncle, and he had 
therefore no fear of finding that the latter had left Aracan 
before his arrival. Meinik was still with him. He had left 
the army after the last battle had been fought, and had trav- 
elled to the spot where he had buried his money before 
embarking with Stanley in the canoe, and, after an absence 
of three days, rejoined the force. On the way down to Ran- 
goon, Stanley had a long talk with him as to his future plans. 

I have only one plan, master, and that is to stay with you 
as long as I live. ’ ’ 

“ But you will have plenty to live comfortably upon now, 
Meinik. For, after all that you have done for me, of course 
I shall arrange for you to have a sum that will keep you 
in comfort.” 

Meinik shook his head. 

Burma is a bad country, master. After living with the 
English, I would not go back to live under the king’s officers 
in any case ; any money that I had would be squeezed out of 
me before long. No, master, I will go with you, unless you 


IN BUSINESS AGAIN 


301 


drive me from you; if you do, I will go to Chittagong, 
and live there ; but I do not think that you will do that.” 

“ Certainly not, Meinik. As long as you are willing to re- 
main with me I shall be very glad indeed to have you ; but 
if at any time you wish to marry and settle down on 
land of your own, I shall give you five hundred pounds, 
which is only a small portion of the sum those rubies, which 
you got your band to give me, brought me in.” 

I daresay I shall marry,” Meinik said, ‘‘but that will 
make no difference. As long as I live, I shall stay with 
you.” 

Meinik had been astounded at Calcutta, which presented a 
strong contrast, indeed, to the city which, as a Burman, he 
had regarded as the most important place in the world. 

‘ ‘ The Burmese are fools, master ; they should have sent 
two or three men here before they made up their minds to go 
to war. If they had been truly told what Calcutta was like, 
they would never have ventured to make war with the 
English.” 


CHAPTER XVIII 

IN BUSINESS AGAIN 

W HEN the vessel arrived at the mouth of the Aracan 
river, a canoe was seen coming out from Akyah, a town 
situated at the entrance to the principal of the several 
channels by which the river makes its way through a number 
of sand-banks and islands into the sea. As it approached, 
Stanley recognized his uncle sitting in the stern. 


302 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


Well, uncle, how are you?” he called out as the boat 
approached the side. 

What, is it you, Stanley ? I am glad indeed to see you. 
I have watched the papers anxiously to see if your name 
appeared among those who have been killed or have died ; 
not seeing it I hoped that you were all right. Of course we 
heard from the Madras regiment that came across from Sem- 
beughewn that it was all over, and that all the troops would 
be shipped off as soon as they went down to Rangoon, but I 
have not seen any papers lately, and so have not had a 
chance of learning any news of you. I fancied, though, 
that you would be back at Calcutta by this time, and thought 
that I might get a letter from you by this ship. ’ ’ 

By this time he was on deck, and after a hearty shaking of 
hands Stanley asked what he was doing here. 

I did not expect to see you until we got to Aracan.” 

‘ ‘ I have been up there, lad. It is a decaying old place, 
and the stream is in many places shallow, so that it would be 
very difficult to take up a ship of any size. I foresee, there- 
fore, that this is going to be the chief port of the province ; 
timber will be floated down here, and rice brought down in 
native boats, so I shall make my headquarters here as far 
as this district is concerned, and put Johnson in charge. I 
doubt whether for a time we shall do as much trade as 
we shall higher up the coast, but everyone expects a great 
Burmese immigration, and a large trade is likely to spring up 
in time. I have not quite determined on my next move, and 
it is not improbable that I shall go down in this ship and 
establish myself for a time at Martaban and open a trade 
in Tenasserim. If I decide on that, I shall only get on shore 
a portion of my goods and take the rest on with me there. 
Now what are you going to do, Stanley ? ’ ’ 

Just what you think best, uncle. I should have thought 


IN BUSINESS AGAIN 


303 


that, as I speak the language, it would be better for me to go 
on to Martaban, and for you to work Chittagong and the 
district up to Assam.” 

‘‘ Then you are going to stay with me, lad ! ” his uncle 
exclaimed in a tone of much satisfaction. ‘‘ I was afraid that 
you would have got so fond of soldiering that you would have 
thrown this over altogether.” 

“ Not a bit of it, uncle. I am on three months’ leave at 
present, and at the end of that time I shall resign. You know 
I am a captain now, that is to say, that I have got my rank 
by death vacancies, though until the Gazette comes out from 
England, I can hardly be said to be a pucka captain ; 
and, what is more, the general himself assured me that 
after being mentioned in despatches two or three times, 
and at his strong commendation of my services, I was sure of 
the brevet rank of major.” 

His uncle took oflf his hat gravely. 

“ I must apologize to you,” he said, “ for addressing you 
as ^ lad.’ I had no idea that you were a full-grown captain, 
still less that you might soon be a major.” 

“ I don’t care a snap for the title, uncle,” Stanley said 
laughing, except that it may be an advantage to me in 
places where there are garrisons, and indeed generally where 
there are white officials.” 

A very great advantage, Stanley. Well, lad, I have been 
coining money since I saw you at Rangoon. I have been 
sending a consignment of bullocks down there every week, 
and have done almost as much with the Manipur force ; I have 
also got the contract regularly now for the supply of the 
troops at Calcutta. Other trade has of course been at a stand- 
still. Now that everything has quieted down, there will be a 
perfect rush, and I have been sorely troubled in my mind 
whether it would be best to stay up here and take advantage 


304 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


of it, or to be one of the first to open trade at these 
new ports. Of course, if you are ready to take Martaban 
that will decide me, and I shall take passage in the first ship 
going up to Chittagong. My own boat and the dhow 
are both there, and I shall at once work up all the rivers, and 
set things going again. I have a capital fellow, a native, who 
is carrying on the cattle business for me, and at Chittagong I 
shall try and get hold of three or four more trustworthy 
fellows to take charge of depots. I see a big future before us, 
and that before long. I did well with those gems of yours — 
they fetched ;^35oo, which I used, besides what you handed 
over to me, for there was no buying up the cattle without 
cash, and as I generally have to wait two months after they 
are shipped before I get paid, ready money was invaluable, 
and indeed I could not have gone into the thing on anything 
like the same scale if it had not been for your money. The 
Calcutta people would have helped me to a certain point, but 
they would never have ventured upon such advances as I 
required. Your ;£^5ooo has doubled itself since I met you at 
Rangoon. I calculate that our stores at the different depots 
are worth ^^4000, so that at the present moment the firm 
of Pearson & Brooke have at their command a capital of 
^14,000.” 

A portion of the cargo was landed at Akyah. Stanley 
went down with the rest to Martaban, and his uncle sailed 
for Chittagong. A few months later a store was opened at 
Rangoon. Parsee store-keepers were sent from Calcutta by 
Tom Pearson, and these were placed in control of the stores 
there and at Martaban, Stanley being in charge of these two 
stations and Akyah, and having a native craft of his own, and 
a boat for river work similar to that of his uncle. 

A year later he received a letter from Harry, saying that 
his uncle had died a month after his return to England, and 


IN BUSINESS AGAIN 


305 


that he was now established as one of the pillars of the 
state. 

“ As I went through London on my arrival,” he said, I 
looked up your mother at the address you gave me at Dul- 
wich. I found her very well and very comfortable. She was 
full of your praises, and as I was equally so, your ears ought 
to have tingled while we were together. Of course they 
wanted to hear all about you, and most of it was new to them, 
for you had said nothing of your adventure with that leopard, 
and only a few lines about the rescue of your humble servant, 
though you had told them that I stood in your way of the 
earldom. Your mother said that she was prouder of you 
than if you were an earl, only that she would have liked to 
have you at home. I told her that you and your uncle were 
shaking the pagoda tree, and that you would come home as 
yellow as a guinea and as rich as a nabob in the course of a 
few years. 

Your sisters are older than I expected to find them. Of 
course you always spoke of them as when you saw them last. 
They are both growing into very pretty girls, the elder espe- 
cially. I made your mother promise to bring them down to 
stay with me for a bit, when I came into the title, which I 
knew could not be long, for I had called that morning on my 
uncle’s solicitors, and they told me that he was not expected 
to live many weeks. As it is only a month since he died, I 
suppose I ought not to have visitors just yet ; but in a few 
weeks I shall go up to town and bring them down with me. 
I cannot help thinking that it is a little selfish ; for when they 
see this place they would not be human if they did not feel 
that it would have been yours if it had not been for your get- 
ting me out of the hands of those Burmese. I see that you 
are gazetted captain this week. I suppose, long before this, 
you have settled down to your old work of going up sluggish 


20 


306 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


streams, and trying to stir up the equally sluggish native to a 
sense of the advantages of British goods. At present I am quite 
content to do nothing particular, to ride and drive about, re- 
turn calls, and so on ; but I expect, before very long, I shall 
get restless, and want to be doing something. However, there 
is the Continent open to one, and decent hotels to stop at. 
No fevers there, and no Burmese brigands.” 

A month later he had a letter from his mother which had 
been written before that of Harry, but had been sent to Cal- 
cutta and thence to Akyah, and had there lain until his re- 
turn, two months later, from a boat journey up to Pegu. She 
said how kind it was of his cousin to come in to give them 
news of him the very day he arrived in London. 

“ Of course we were delighted with all that he told us 
about you, but it made us anxious to think of your running 
into so many dangers. We like him very much ; we could 
not help laughing because he seemed quite concerned that 
you should not have the peerage instead of him. He seems 
likely to come into it soon, for he tells us that the earl is very 
ill. He says that we must come down and pay him a visit 
as soon as he is master there ; but I don’t know whether that 
can be. Of course it would be a nice change, and I believe 
that it is a very fine place. I said that it would seem strange 
our going there, when there are no ladies, and that bachelors 
did not generally entertain ; but he said that, in the first 
place, he should have his sisters there, who were about the 
same age as my girls, and that as we were his nearest rela- 
tions, and you were at present his heir, it would be quite the 
right and proper thing for us to come down. He seemed 
quite in earnest about it, and I should not be surprised if we 
go.” 

Three months later, Stanley heard that the visit had been 
paid, and that they had stayed a fortnight there. 


IN BUSINESS AGAIN 


307 


“ It feels quite funny settling down here again after being 
in that big house with all those servants and grandeur ; not 
that there is any grandeur about Harry. He insists, being 
relations, that we shall call him by his Christian name. 
Everything was delightful ; every afternoon we used to go 
driving, and of a morning he generally rode with the girls. 
He had a very pretty gentle horse for Agnes, and a gray 
pony, a beauty, for Kate. I have a strong suspicion that he 
had bought them both on purpose. I should not be sur- 
prised — but no, I won’t say anything about it.” 

Stanley puzzled over this sentence, which was followed by : 
“ His sisters are very nice girls.” 

“It is evidently something about Harry,” he said to him- 
self ; “ possibly she has taken the idea into her head that he 
may fall in love with Agnes. That, certainly, would be a 
very nice thing, but I don’t suppose it is anything more than 
an idea of mother’s.” 

However, four months later he received a letter from Harry 
announcing his engagement. 

“ I told your mother that she must let me write by the 
mail before she did, as it was only right that I should have 
the pleasure of telling you the news myself. It is splendid, 
old man ; upon my word I don’t know which I ought to 
feel, — most grateful to you for saving my life, or for getting 
me to know your sister. It seems to me a regular dispensa- 
tion of Providence. You did everything you could to pre- 
vent yourself from coming into a title, and now your sister 
is going to take it and me. It is quite right that we should 
come to be brothers-in-law, for we are quite like brothers al- 
ready. We are to be married in the spring. How I wish 
you could be with us. Your absence will be the only thing 
wanting to make everything perfect. I do hope you don’t 
mean to stay grilling out there many years. It seems to me 


308 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


monstrous that I should be having estates and a big income, 
and all that sort of thing, when I have done nothing to de- 
serve it, and that you should be toiling in that beastly cli- 
mate. If I thought that there was the least chance of your 
rushing home when you get this letter, I declare that I would 
put off the marriage for a month or so, so that you should be 
here in time; but as I feel sure that you won’t do anything 
of the sort, it will be of no use for me to make such a noble 
sacrifice.” 

Stanley had received the news that he was gazetted brevet- 
major a month after he was promoted to the rank of captain, 
and two months before his name appeared as having retired 
from the army. He derived, as he expected, much benefit 
from his connection with the army, in his position at his three 
receiving ports, as it placed him on a very pleasant footing 
with the military and civil officials ; and it rendered his oc- 
casional visits to Calcutta and Madras exceedingly pleasant, 
for .in both towns he found many officers whose acquaintance 
he had made during the expedition. He was always made an 
honorary member of the messes and clubs, during his stays 
there. 

The business grew rapidly ; the work of the earlier years 
had so well paved the way for larger operations, that they were 
able to more than hold their own against other traders who, 
after the troubles were at an end, sought to establish themselves 
at various points on the western coast of the peninsula, and, 
after six more years of hard and continuous work, the busi- 
ness came to be a very large and important one. 

I think it more than probable,” Stanley wrote to his 
mother, that before very long I shall be returning home. 
My uncle spoke about it the last time that I saw him, and said 
that we were outgrowing Calcutta, and ought to establish our- 
selves in London. ‘ We can hold on a bit longer,’ he said. 


IN BUSINESS AGAIN 


309 


^ but we must come to that sooner or later, and when it does 
you must be the one to go to England and take charge. 
I may go home before that for a few months, but I have no 
wish or desire to stop there. We have now got a good staff, 
and I shall probably fix myself permanently at Calcutta.’ ” 

Two years later Tom Pearson, on his return from England, 
brought back a wife with him, and established himself at Cal- 
cutta. Stanley joined him there three weeks after his return. 
They had a long talk together that evening. 

“ I see, Stanley,” his uncle said, that things have gone 
on improving since I have been away, and that our turnover 
last year was 50,000, and the profits close upon 5,000. 
I think now that it is high time we opened a place in London. 
We have almost a monopoly of the teak trade in Burma, and 
it would be much more advantageous for us to make our pur- 
chases in England instead of here. We should save in car- 
riage and in trans-shipment, besides the profits that the people 
here make out of their sales to us. I have made a great many 
inquiries at home, as to the prices for cash in Manchester 
and Birmingham, and find that we should get goods there 
some fifteen per cent, cheaper than we pay at Calcutta, even 
after putting on the freights ; so you see it is an important 
matter. Besides there would be a better choice of goods, 
and you know exactly the sort of thing that we require, 
and the quantities that we can get rid of, and would be able 
therefore to send consignments each month without waiting 
for advices from me, and so we should get the things just 
as readily as we do now from here. I will give you the 
names of some of the firms that I have visited and with 
whom I have already paved the way for opening extensive 
transactions. 

‘‘ During the eighteen months that I have been away, you 
have learned all about the banking business, and will find 


310 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


no more difficulty in managing in London than here. Your 
brother-in-law Netherly went with me to the Bank of Eng- 
land, and introduced me to one of the directors. I told 
him that we intended to open a house in London, and that 
as soon as we did so, we should open an account with 
them by paying in ;£’3o,ooo, and that we should of course 
require some facilities, but probably not to a large extent, 
as our payments for teak there would fairly balance our 
exports from England, and that I reckoned our trade to be, as 
a minimum, ^^50,000 each way. The matter was made ex- 
tremely easy by Netherly saying, to my astonishment : ‘ You 
can let them draw what they like, Mr. Townshend, for I will 
give my personal guarantee up to ^^50,000.’ I remonstrated, 
but he would not hear anything said. ‘ Ridiculous,’ he ex- 
claimed, hotly ; ‘ Stanley is my brother-in-law ; he risked his 
life for me, and you don’t suppose that I should mind risking 
^^50,000 for him. Not,’ he went on, turning to the director, 

‘ that there is any risk in the matter ; I know all about the 
business they do in India, and that there is not a shadow of 
risk in it. I know that my guarantee will be a mere form, 
but as it may put them on a better footing with you to begin 
with, I shall be very pleased to do it.’ 

Of course, we know that there will be no risk in it ; the 
greater portion of our business is a ready-money one, and 
although of late we have been dealing more with native local 
firms instead of selling direct from our own stores, the 
amounts are never large, and so far we have never lost a penny. 
Of course, I shall let you know by every mail how things 
are going on at all our depots, and you will then be able to 
form an estimate as to the amount of goods you will have to 
despatch to each, sending them direct, of course, if there hap- 
pens to be a ship going. But all these things, of course, we 
shall go into at length before you start for England.” 


IN BUSINESS AGAIN 


311 


Did you go down to Harry’s place ? ’* 

Yes, I stopped there a week. Your sister seems per- 
fectly happy, and plays the part of queen of the county admi- 
rably. The four youngsters are jolly little things. As to 
your mother, you will find very little change in her. I really 
don’t think that she looks a day older than when we saw her 
off at Calcutta, something like ten years ago. Of course then 
she was cut up with her loss, but quiet and comfort have 
agreed with her, and the climate is a good deal less trying 
than it is out here. At any rate, I should not take her for a 
day over forty, and she is something like five years older than 
that.” 

Three months later Stanley sailed for England. There was 
the same argument between him and Meinik that there had 
been when Stanley first left Rangoon, but this time it termi- 
nated differently. 

“You would be out of your element in England, Meinik. 
Of course my life there will be very different from what it is 
here. I shall go away from home to business every morning, 
and not get back until perhaps seven o’clock in the evening. 
As a consequence there would be nothing for you to do for 
me, and we should see very little of each other. You know I 
should like to have you with me, and would do all that I 
could to make you comfortable, but I am sure that you would 
not like the life. Here you have always been on the move, 
and there is always something for you to do and think of. I 
have spoken to my uncle about you, and he will be glad to 
appoint you to the position of purchaser for our house of teak 
and other native products in these provinces. Besides being 
buyer, you would go up the country and see to the felling and 
getting the timber down to the coast, as you have often done 
before. He knows how absolutely I trust you, and how much 
you have done for me, and he said that he should be very 


312 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


glad to have you in charge of the buying side of the work 
here. Besides, you know you have now a wife and children, 
and even if you could make yourself comfortable in England, 
they would never be able to do so, and the bitter cold that 
we sometimes have in winter would try them terribly and 
might even carry them all off.” 

To these arguments Meinik had reluctantly yielded. He 
was somewhat proud of the position that he occupied as one 
of some authority in the establishment of the principal mer- 
chants on the coast. He was fond of his wife and little chil- 
dren, and felt that to be established among strangers of differ- 
ent habits and race, would be very terrible for them. Stanley 
bought him a nice house at Rangoon, and as his rate of pay, 
which had been gradually increased, was now sufficient to 
cause him to rank high among the native population, he him- 
self came to feel that he had done wisely in accepting Stan- 
ley’s advice. 

The voyage to England was an uneventful one, and to 
Stanley, after the active life he had had for ten years, the five 
months spent at sea seemed almost interminable. 

‘‘ I should not have known you in the least,” his mother 
said after the first joyful greetings were over. “ How much 
you have gone through since we parted at Calcutta.” 

“I had a pretty rough time of it for two years, mother, 
during the war, but with that exception my life has been a 
very pleasant one, and I have had nothing whatever to grum- 
ble about. This is a pretty house that you have chosen, 
mother, and the garden is charming. How I have longed 
sometimes for the sight of an English garden. Of course I 
have never seen one before, but I have heard you talk of them, 
and thought how delightful the green grass must be. Of 
course we had flowers in Burma, plenty of them and shrubs, 
but it was not green like this. It is charming.” 


IN BUSINESS AGAIN 


313 


Yes, it is a pretty house, Stanley. We moved in here 
five years ago, thanks to you, dear boy, and it has been a 
very quiet happy time. We have a good many friends 
now among our neighbours, and have quite as much so- 
ciety as I care for. I suppose you have not yet decided 
whether you will live here with us,” she said a little anxiously, 
“ or set up an establishment of your own.” 

“ Of course I shall stay here, mother. I never thought of 
anything else. I see that you have some stables. I shall get 
a couple of horses and drive into town in the mornings. I 
have got out of the way of walking altogether. And where 
is Kate ? ’ ’ 

“ You will see her presently. She will be here to dinner 
with Agnes and Harry. I sent her off because I wanted 
to have you all to myself for the first hour. The others 
came up to town three days ago on purpose to be here 
when you arrived. Of course we heard when your ship 
called at Plymouth. We had been looking for her, for your 
last letter told us the name of the vessel that you were coming 
by, so I wrote to them and they came up at once. They 
wanted us to go and dine with them, but I would not hear 
of it. I was sure that you would much rather dine quietly 
here than in state in Portman Square with three or four foot- 
men behind our chairs.” 

“Ever so much better, mother. I suppose I shall hardly 
know Agnes, but Harry cannot have altered much ; besides, 
I have seen him four years later than her.” 

Harry’s greeting was of the heartiest kind ; Stanley’s sisters 
felt at first a little strange with this brother of whom they had 
but a faint remembrance. 

“It does not seem to me, Harry, that your dignities have 
tamed you down much.” 

“No, indeed,” Harry laughed. “I find it sometimes 


314 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 


very difficult to act up to my position. I never quite feel 
that I am an earl except on the rare occasions when I go 
to the House of Lords, which I only do when my vote is 
wanted on an important division. The gloom of that place 
is enough to sober anyone. I can assure you that when I 
heard of the fire I felt absolutely pleased. Of course, they 
will build another one, perhaps grander than the last and as 
gloomy ; but, thank goodness, it must be years before it can 
be finished, and until then we shall have to put up with tem- 
porary premises. Your chances of an earldom are getting 
more and more remote, Stanley. There are three boys bar- 
ring the way already. I had proposed to myself not to 
marry, in which case you or a son of yours would have fol- 
lowed me, but your sister overpersuaded me.” 

Agnes tossed her head as she said : 

“ At any rate, Harry, if you made that resolution, it was 
not worth much, as you gave it up at the first opportunity. 
I was the first girl you met when you arrived in England, 
and I doubt whether you had seen another before we came 
down to stay at Netherly. I had not been there two days 
before you began to make love to me.” 

‘‘ The temptation would excuse anything, my dear,” Harry 
laughed ; ‘ ‘ besides, you see, I saw at once that it was but fair 
and right to Stanley, that if he could not get the peerage him- 
self, he might some day have the satisfaction of being uncle to 
an earl. And so you are home for good, old fellow? ” 

“ Yes, and just at present I feel very much at sea as to how 
to get to work, as Tom Pearson arranged nothing except as to 
the banking account, everything else he has left to me. I 
know nothing of London, and have no idea of the situation 
where I should look for offices.” 

“ I will put you up to all that, Stanley. I don’t know 
anything about it myself, as you may suppose, but if you will 


IN BUSINESS AGAIN 


315 


go with me to my solicitors to-morrow, they will be able to 
tell you. But I do know that Leadenhall Street is the centre 
of the Indian trade, and it’s somewhere about there that you 
will have to fix yourself. Of coui'se, when you have taken a 
place you will have to get hold of some clerks. If you put 
an advertisement in the paper you will get any number of ap- 
plicants, or possibly my men may, through their connection 
with merchants, be able to hear of some to suit you ; anyhow 
I am sure that you will find no difficulty.” 

Thanks to Harry’s introductions, Stanley was established in 
a handsome suite of offices with three clerks, with much greater 
ease than he had anticipated. Being thoroughly versed in 
business, he was not long before he was at home in his new 
life. 

Three years after his return, he married Harry’s youngest 
sister. The firm flourished greatly and became one of the 
leading houses in the Eastern trade. At the age of sixty 
Stanley retired from business with a large fortune. He could 
do this comfortably, as his eldest son and a nephew had be- 
come active partners in the firm. He still lives at the age of 
eighty-six, in a noble mansion near Staines, and retains all 
the faculties even at advanced age. 


THE END 



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“ Wherever English is spoken one imagines that Mr. Henty’s 
name is known. One cannot enter a schoolroom or look at a 
boy’s bookshelf without seeing half-a-dozen of his familiar 
volumes. Mr. Henty is no doubt the most successful writer 
for boys, and the one to whose new volumes they look forward 
every Christmas with most pleasure .”— of Reviews. 


CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS' 
CATALOGUE OF BOOKS 
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ^ 


INCLUDING NEW WORKS BY G. A, HENTY, 
G. M. FENN, S, BARING - GOULD, KIRK 
MUNROE, R FRANKFORT MOORE, GORDON 
STABLES, ROBERT LEIGHTON, HARRY 
COLLINGWOOD, ROSA MULHOLLAND, ALICE 
CORKRAN, ETC, 



t53 TO 157 Fifth Avenue, New York 



2 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY G. A. HENTY 

NEW STORIES FOR THE SEASON OF 1896 


AT AGINCOURT 

A Tale of the White Hoods of Paris. With 12 full-page 
Illustrations by Walter Paget. Crown 8vo, olivine 
edges, $1.50. 

The story begins in a grim feudal castle in Normandie, on the old 
frontier between France and England, where the lad Guy Aylmer had 
gone to join his father’s old friend Sir Eustace de Villeroy. The times 
were troublous and soon the French king compelled Lady Margaret de 
Yilleroy with her children to go to Pans as hostages for Sir Eustace’s 
loyalty. Guy Aylmer went wi h her as her page and body-guard. Paris 
was turbulent and the populace riotous. Soon the guild of the butchers, 
adopting white hoods as their uniform, seized the city, and besieged 
the house where our hero and his charges lived. After desperate fighting, 
the white hoods were beaten and our hero and his charges escaped from tne 
city, and from France. He came back to share in the great battle of 
Agincourt, and when peace followed returned with honor to England. 


ON THE IRRAWADDY 

A Story of the First Burmese War. With 8 full-page Illus- 
trations by W. H. Overend. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, 
$1.50. ^ ’ 

The hero having an uncle, a trader on the Indian and Burmese 
rivers, goes out to join him. Soon after war is declared by Bur- 
mah against England and he is drawn into it. His familiarity with the 
Burmese custoins and language make him of such use that he is put 
upon Sir Archibald Campbell’s staff. He has many experiences and 
narrow escapes in battles and in scouting. With half-a-dozen men he 
rescues his cousin who had been taken prisoner, and in the flight they are 
besieged in an old ruined temple. His escape and ultimate successful 
return to England show what a clear head with pluck can do. 


WITH COCHRANE THE DAUNTLESS 


A Tale of the Exploits of Lord Cochrane in South American 
Waters. With 12 full-page Illustrations by W. H. 
Margetson. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 


The hero of this story, an orphaned lad, accompanies Cochrane as 
midshipman, and serves in the war between Chili and Peru He has 
many exciting adventures in battles by sea and land, is taken prisoner 
and condemned to death by the Inquisition, but escapes by a long and 
thrilling flight across South America and down the Amazon, piloted by 

to Pophii^," and coolness prove him a fit companion 

to i.>ochrane the Dauntless, and his final success is well deserved. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


3 


BY G. A. HENTY 

Stirring adventures, and Mr. Henty is a master of this method 
of composition.” — Aem YorTc Times. 


A KNIGHT OF THE WHITE CROSS 

A Tale of the Siege of Rhodes. With 12 full-page Illustra- 
tions by Ralph Peacock, and a Plan. Crown 8vo, olivine 
edges, ^1.50. 

Gervaise Tresham, the hero of this story, joins the Order of the 
Knights of St. John, and leaving England he proceeds to the stronghold 
of Rhodes. Subsequently, Gervaise is made a Knight of the White 
Cross for valor, while soon after he is appointed commander of a war- 
galley, and in his first voyage destroys a fleet of Moorish corsairs. Dur- 
ing one of his cruises the young knight is attacked on shore, captured 
after a desperate struggle, and sold into slavery in Ti-ipoli. He succeeds 
in escaping, however, and returns to Rhodes in time to take part in the 
splendid defence of that fortress. Altogether a fine chivalrous tale of 
varied interest and full of noble daring. 


THE TIGER OF MYSORE 

A Story of the War with Tippoo Saib. With 12 full-page 
Illustrations by W. H. Margetson, and a Map. Crown 
8vo, olivine edges, ^1.50. 

Dick Holland, whose father is supposed to be a captive of Tippoo Saib, 
goes to India to help him to escape. He joins the army under Lord 
Cornwallis, and takes part in the campaign against Tippoo. Afterwards 
he assumes a disguise, enters Seringapatam, the cap-tal of Mysore, res- 
cues Tippoo’s harem from a tiger, and is appointed to high office by the 
tyrant. In this capacity Dick visits the hill fortresses, still in search of 
his father, and at last he discovers him in the great stronghold of Savan- 
droog. The hazardous rescue through the enemy’s country is at length 
accomplished, and the young fellow’s dangerous mission is done. 

THROUGH RUSSIAN SNOWS 

A Story of Napoleon’s Retreat from Moscow. With 8 full- 
page Illustrations by W. H. Overend, and 3 Maps. Crown 
8 VO, olivine edges, ^1.50. 

The hero, Julian Wyatt, after several adventures with smugglers, by 
whom he is handed over a prisoner to the French, regains his freedom 
and joins Napoleon’s army in the Russian campaign, and reaches Moscow 
with the victorious Emperor. Then, when the terrible retreat begins, 
Julian finds himself in the rear guard of the French army, fighting des- 
perately, league by league, against famine, snow-storms, wolves, and 
Russians Ultimately he escapes out of the general disaster, after rescu- 
ing the daughter of a Russian Count ; makes liis way to St. Petersburg, 
and then returns to England. A story with an excellent plot, exciting 
adventures, and splendid historical interests. 


4 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY G. A. HENTY 

“Here we have Mr. George Henty— the Boys’ Own Author.”— Pwnch. 


WULF THE SAXON 

A Story of the Norman Conquest. By G. A. Henty. With 
12 full-page Illustrations by Ealph Peacock. Crown 
8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The hero is a young thane who wins the favor of Earl Harold and be- 
comes one of his retinue. When Harold becomes King of England Wulf 
assists in the Welsh wars, and takes part against the Norsemen at the 
Battle of Stamford Bridge. When William of Normandy invades Eng- 
land, Wulf is with the English host at Hastings, and stands by his king 
to the last in the mighty struggle. Altogether this is a noble tale. 
Wulf himself is a rare example of Saxon vigor, and the spacious back- 
ground of stormful history lends itself admirably to heroic romance. 


BERIC THE BRITON 

A Story of the Eoman Invasion. By G. A. Henty. With 
12 full-page Illustrations by W. Paekinson. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

This story deals with the invasion of Britain by the Roman legionaries. 
Beric, who is a boy-chief of a British tribe, takes a prominent part in 
the insurrection under Boadicea: and after the defeat of that heroic 
queen (in A.D. 62) he continues the struggle in the fen-country. Ulti- 
mately Beric is defeated and carried captive to Rome, where he is trained 
in the exercise of arms in a school of gladiators. Such is the skill which 
he there acquires that he succeeds in saving a Christian maid by slaying 
a lion in the arena, and is rewarded by being made librarian in the palace, 
and the personal protector of Nero. Finally he escapes from this irksome 
service, organizes a band of outlaws in Calabria, defies the power of 
Rome, and at length returns to Britain, where he becomes a wise ruler 
of his own people. 


WHEN LONDON BURNED 

A Story of the Plague and the Fire. By G. A. Henty. With 
12 full-page Illustrations by J. Finnemore. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

The hero of this story was the son of a nobleman who had lost his estates 
during the troublous times of the Commonwealth. Instead of hanging 
idly about the court seeking favors. Cyril Shenstone determined to main- 
tain hiniself by honest work. During the Great Plague and the Great Fire, 
which visited London with such terrible results. Sir Cyril wa** prominent 
among those who brought help to the panic-stricken inhabitants. This 
tale has rich variety of interest, both national and personal, and in the 
hero you have an English lad of the noblest type — wise, humane, and 
unselfish. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLK 


6 


BY G. A. HENTY 

“ Surely Mr. Henty should understand boys’ tastes better than any man 
living.”— T/ie Times. 


ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 

A Tale of the Huguenot Wars. By G. A. Henty. With 12 
full-page Illustrations by H. J. Deafer, and a Map. 
Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The hero, Philip Fletcher, is a right true English lad, but he has a 
French connection on his mother’s side. This kinship induces him to 
cross the Channel in order to take a share in that splendid struggle for 
freedom known as the Huguenot wars. Naturally he sides with the 
Protestants, distinguishes himself in various battles, and receives rapid 
promotion for the Zealand daring with which he carries out several secret 
missions. It is an enthralling narrative throughout. 

REDSKIN AND COW-BOY 

A Tale of the Western Plains. By G. A. Henty. With 12 
full-page Illustrations by Alfred Pearse. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

The central interest of this story is found in the many adventures of an 
English lad who seeks employment as a cow-boy on a cattle ranch. His 
experiences during a “round-up” present in picturesque form the toil- 
some, exciting, adventurous life of a cow-boy; while the perils of a 
frontier settlement are vividly set forth in an Indian raid, accompanied 
by pillage, capture, and recapture. The story is packed full of breezy 
adventure. 

WITH LEE IN VIRGINIA 

A Story of the American Civil War. By G. A. Henty. With 
10 full-page Illustrations by Gordon Browne, and 6 Maps. 
Crown 8 VO, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The story of a young Virginian planter, who, after bravely proving his 
sympathy with the s'aves of brutal masters, serves with no less courage 
and enthusiasm under Lee and Jackson through the most exciting events 
of the struggle. He has many hairbreadth escapes, is several times 
wounded, and twice taken prisoner; but his courage and readiness and, 
in two cases, the devotion of a black servant and of a runaway slave 
whom he had assisted bring him safely through all diflaculties. 

THROUGH THE SIKH WAR 

A Tale of the Conquest of the Punjaub. By G. A. Henty. 
With 12 full-page Illustrations by Hal Hurst, and a 
Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

Percy Groves, a spirited English lad, joins his uncle in the Punjaub, 
where the natives are in a state of revolt. When the authorities at Lahore 
proclaim war Percy joins the British force as a volunteer, and takes a 
distinguished share in the famous battles of the Punjaub. 


6 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY G. A. HENTY 

“Ask for Henty, and see that you get hixa:'— Punch. 


THE DASH FOR KHARTOUM 

A Tale of the Nile Expedition. By G. A. Henty. With 10 
full-page Illustrations by John Schonberg and J. Nash. 
Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

In the record of recent British history there is no more captivating page 
for boys than the story of the Nile campaign, and the attempt to rescue 
General Gordon. For, in the difficulties which the expedition encount- 
ered, in the perils which it overpassed, and in its final tiagic disappoint- 
ments, are found all the excitements of romance, as well as the fascination 
which belongs to real events. 

BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE 

A Tale of Fontenoy and Culloden. By G. A. Henty. With 
12 full-page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. Crown 
8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The adventures of the son of a Scotch officer in French service. The 
boy, brought up by a Glasgow bailie, is arrested for aiding a Jacobite 
agent, escapes, is wrecked on the French coast, reaches Paris, and serves 
with the French army at Dettmgen. He kills his father’s foe in a duel, 
and escaping to the coast, shares the adventures of Prince Charlie, but 
finally settles happily in Scotland. 


UNDER DRAKPS FLAG 

A Tale of the Spanish Main. By G. A. Henty. With 12 
full-page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

A story of the days when England and Spain struggled for the suprem- 
acy of the sea. Tne heroes sail as lads with Drake in the Pacific expe- 
dition. and in his great voyage of circumnavigation. The historical 
portion of the story is absolutely to be relied upon, but this will perhaps 
be less attractive than the great variety of exciting adventure through 
which the young heroes pass m the course of their voyages. 

WITH WOLFE IN CANADA 

Or, The Winning of a Continent. By G. A. Henty. With 12 
full-page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

Mr. Henty here gives an account of the struggle between Britain and 
France for supremacy in the No»-th American continent. The fall of 
Quebec decided that the Anglo-Saxon race should predominate in the 
New World ; and that English and American commerce, the English 
language, and English literature, should spread right round the globe. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


T 


BY G. A. HENTY 

Mr. Henty la one of the best of story-tellers for young people.”— SDecfafor. 


BY PIKE AND DYKE 

A Tale of tlie Else of the Dutch Eepublic. By G. A. Henty. 
With 10 full -page Illustrations by Maynard Brown, and 
4 Maps. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

In this story Mr. Henty traces the adventures and brave deeds of an 
English boy in the household of the ablest man of his age— William the 
Silent. Edward Martin, the son of an English sea-captain, enters the 
service of the Prince as a volunteer, and is employed by him in many 
dangerous and responsible missions, in the discharge of which he passes 
through the great sieges of the time. 

BY ENGLAND'S AID 

Or, The Freeing of the Netherlands (1585-1604). By G. A. 
Henty. With 10 full-page Illustrations by Alfred Pearse, 
and 4 Maps. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The story of two English lads who go to Holland as pages in the service 
of one of “the fighting Veres.” After many adventures by sea and land, 
one of the lads finds himself on board a Spanish ship at the time of the 
defeat of the Armada, and escapes only to fall into the hands of the Cor- 
sairs. He is successful in getting back to Spain, and regains his native 
country after the capture of Cadiz. 

IN THE HEART OF THE ROCKIES 

A Story of Adventure in Colorado. By G. A. Henty. With 
8 full-page Illustrations by G. C. &ndley. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

Prom first to last this is a story of splendid hazard. The hero, Tom 
Wade, goes to seek his uncle in Colorado, who is a hunter and gold- 
digger, and he is discovered, after many dangers, out on the plains with 
some comrades. Going in quest of a gold mine the little band is spied 
by Indians, chased across the Bad Lands, and overwhelmed by a snow- 
storm in the mountains. 

by right of conquest 

Or, With Cortez in Mexico. By G. A. Henty. With 10 full- 
page Illustrations by W. S. Stacey, and 2 Maps. Crown 
8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

With the Conquest of Mexico as the ground-work of his story, 
Mr. Henty has interwoven the adventures of an English youth. 
He is beset by many perils among the natives, but by a ruse he obtains 
the protection of the Spaniards, and after the fall of Mexico he succeeds 
in regaining his native shore, with a fortune and a charming Aztec bride. 


6 


BOOKS POR rOKXG PKOPLK 


BY G. A. HENTY 

“ No livlnpr writer of books for boys writes to better purpose than Mr. G. A. 
Henty.”— PTiitodeipMa Press. 


TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG 

A Tale of the American War of Independence. By G. A. 
Henty. With 12 full-page Illustrations by Gordon 
Browne. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

A graphic and vigorous story of the American Revolution, which paints 
the scenes with great power, and does full justice to the pluck and de- 
termination of the soldiers during the unfortunate struggle. 


THE LION OF ST. MARK 

A Tale of Venice in the Fourteenth Century. By G. A. Henty. 
With 10 full -page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. 
Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

A story of Venice at a period when her strength and splendor were put 
to the severest tests. The hero displays a fine sense and manliness which 
carry him safely through an atmosphere of intrigue, crime, and blood- 
shed. He contributes largely to the victories of the Venetians at Porto 
d’Anzo and Chioggia. and finally wins the hand of the daughter of one 
of the chief men of Venice. 


THE LION OF THE NORTH 

A Tale of Gustavus Adolphus and the Wars of Religion. By 
G. A. Henty. With 12 full-page Illustrations by John 
ScHONBERG. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

In this story Mr. Henty gives the history of the first part of the Thirty 
Years’ War. The issue had its importance, which has extended to the 
present day, as it established religious freedom in Germany. The army 
of the chivalrous King of Sweden was largely composed of Scotchmen, 
and among these was the hero of the story. 


IN GREEK WATERS 

A Story of the Grecian War of Independence (1821-1827). 
By G. A. Henty. With 12 full-page Illustrations by W. S. 
Stacey, and a Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

Deals with the revolt of the Greeks in 1821 against Turkish oppression. 
Mr. Beveridge and his son Horace fit out a privateer, load it with 
military stores, and set sail for Greece. They rescue the Christians, 
relieve the captive Greeks, and fight the Turkish war vessels. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG people 




BY G. A. HENTY 

“Mr. Henty’s books never fail to interest boy readers.”— ^catZemy. 


WITH CLIVE IN INDIA 

Or, The Beginnings of an Empire. By G. A. Henty. With 
12 full-page Illustrations by Gordon Browne, and a Map. 
Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The period between the landing of Clive in India and the close of his 
career was eventful in the extreme. At its commencement the English 
were traders existing on sufferance of the native princes; at its close they 
were masters of Bengal and of the greater part of Southern India. The 
author has given a full account of the events of that stirring time, while 
he combines with his narrative a thrilling tale of daring and adventure. 

THE YOUNG CARTHAGINIAN 

A Story of the Times of Hannibal. By G. A. Henty. With 
12 full-page Illustrations by C. J. Stanidand, R.I. Crown 
8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

There is no better field for romance- writers in the whole of history than 
the momentous struggle between the Romans and Carthaginians for the 
empire of the world. Mr. Henty has had the full advantage of much un- 
exhausted picturesque and impressive material, and has thus been enabled 
to form a striking historic background to as exciting a story of adventure 
as the keenest appetite could wish. 

FOR THE TEMPLE 

A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem. By G. A. Henty. With 10 
full-page Illustrations by S. J. Solomon, and a colored 
Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

Mr Henty here weaves into the record of Josephus an admirable and 
attractive story. The troubles in the district of Tiberias, the march of the 
legions, the sieges of Jotapata, of Gamala, and of Jerusalem, form the 
impressive setting to the figure of the lad who bpcomes the leader of a 
guerrilla band of patriots, fights bravely for the Temple, and after a brief 
term of slavery at Alexandria, returns to his Galilean home. 

THROUGH THE FRAY 

A Story of the Luddite Riots. By G. A. Henty. With 12 
full-page Illustrations by H. M. Paget. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

The story is laid in Yorkshire at the commencement of the present cen- 
tury, when the high price of food induced by the war and the introduction 
of machinery drove the working-classes to desperation, and caused them 
to band themselves in that wide-spread organization known as the Luddite 
Society. There is an abundance of adventure in the tale, but its chief 
interest lies in the character of the hero, and the manner in which he 
is put on trial for his life, but at last comes victorious “through the fray.” 


10 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY G. A. HENTY 

“The brightest of all the living writers whose office it is to enchant the 
hoy aN— Christian Leader. 


CAPTAIN BAYLEY^S HEIR 

A Tale of the Gold Fields of California. By G. A. Henty. 
With 12 full-page Illustrations by H. M. Paget. Crown 
8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

A frank, manly lad and his cousin are rivals in the heirship of a consider- 
able property. The former falls into a trap laid by the latter, and while 
under a false accusation of theft foolishly leaves England for America. 
He worKs his passage before the mast, joins a small band of hunters, 
c osses a tract of country infested with Indians to the Californian gold 
diggings, and is successful both as digger and trader. 

IN FREEDOM'S CAUSE 

A Story of Wallace and Bruce. By G. A. Henty. With 12 
full-page Illustrations by Goudon Browne. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

Relates the stirring tale of the Scottish War of Independence. The 
hero of the tale fought under both Wallace and Bruce, and while the 
strictest historical accuracy has been maintained with respect to public 
events, the work is full of “hairbreadth ’scapes” and wild adventure. 

A JACOBITE EXILE 

Being the Adventures of a Young Englishman in the Service 
of Charles XII. of Sweden. By G. A. Henty. With 8 
full-page Illustrations by Paul Hardy, and a Map. Crown 
8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

Sir Marmaduke Carstairs, a Jacobite, is the victim of a conspiracy, and 
he is denovmcedas a plotter against the life of King William. He flies to 
Sweden, accompanied by his son Charlie. This youth joins the foreign 
legion under Charles XII., and takes a distinguished part in several 
famous campaigns against the Russians and Poles. 

CONDEMNED AS A NIHILIST 

A Story of Escape from Siberia. By G. A. Henty. With 8 
full-page Illustrations. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The hero of this story is an English boy resident in St. Petersburg. 
Through two student friends he becomes innocently involved in various 
political plots, resulting in his seizure by the Russian police and his exile 
to Siberia. He ultimately escapes, and, after many exciting adventure.s, 
he reaches Norway, and thence home, after a perilous journey which lasts 
nearly two years. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


11 


BY G. A. HENTY 

“ Mr. Henty is one of our most successful writers of historical tales.” 

—Scotsman. 

IN THE REIGN OF TERROR 

The Adventures of a Westminster Boy. By G. A. Henty. 
With 8 full-page Illustrations by J. Schonberg. Crown 
8vo, olivine edges, ^1.50. 

Harry Sandwith, a Westminster boy, becomes a resident at the chateau 
of a French marquis, and after various adventures accompanies the 
family to Paris at the crisis of the Revolution, Imprisonment and death 
reduce their number, and the hero finds himself beset by perils with the 
three young daughters of the house in his charge. After hair-breadth 
escapes they reach Nantes. There the girls are condemned to death in 
the coffinships, but are saved by the unfailing courage of their boy- 
protector. 

ST* GEORGE FOR ENGLAND 

A Tale of Cressy and Poitiers. By G. A. Henty, With 8 full- 
page Illustrations by Gordon Browne, Crown 8vo, $1.50. 

No portion of English history is more crow’ded with great events than 
that of the reign of Edward III. Cressy and Poitiers ; the destruction of 
the Spanish fleet ; the plague of the Black Death; the Jacquerie rising; 
these are treated by the author in “St. George for England.” The hero of 
the story, although of good family, begins life as a London apprentice, 
but after countless adventures and perils becomes by valor and good 
conduct the squire, and at last the trusted friend of the Black Prince. 

A CHAPTER OF ADVENTURES 

Or, Through the Bombardment of Alexandria. By G. A. 
Henty. With 6 full-page Illustrations by W. H, Over- 
end. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 

A coast fishing lad, by an act of heroism, secures the interest of a ship- 
owner, who places him as an apprentice on board one of his ^hips. In 
company with two of his fellow-apprentices he is left behind, at Alex- 
andria, in the hands of the revolted Egyptian troops, and is present 
through the bombardment and the scenes of riot and blood-shed which 
accompanied it. 

HELD FAST FOR ENGLAND 

A Tale of the Siege of Gibraltar. By G. A. Henty, With 
8 full-page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1,50. 

This story deals with one of the most memorable sieges in history-- 
the siege of Gibraltar in 1779-83 by the united forces of France and 
Spain. With land forces, fleets, and floating batteries, the combined re- 
sources of two great nations, this grim fortress was vainly besieged and 
bombarded. The hero of the tale, an Englif^h lad resident in Gibraltar, 
takes a brave and worthy part in the long defence, and it is through his 
varied experiences that we learn with what bravery, resource, and te- 
nacity the Rock was held for England. 


12 


bOOKS FOR YOUJfG PEOPLE 


BY G. A. HENTY 

“ Among writers of stories of adventures for boys Mr. Henty stands in the 
very first rank.”— Academi/. 

FOR NAME AND FAME 

Or, Through Afghan Passes. By G. A, Henty. With 8 full- 
page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, ^1.50. 

An interesting story of the last war in Afghanistan. The hero, after 
being wrecked and going through many stirring adventures among the 
Malays, finds his way to Calcutta and enlists in a regiment proceeding to 
join the army at the Afghan passes. He accompanies the force under 
General Roberts to the Peiwar Kotal, is wounded, taken prisoner, carried 
to Cabul, whence he is transferred to Candahar, and takes part in the 
final defeat of the army of Ayoub Khan. 

ORANGE AND GREEN 

A Tale of the Boyne and Limerick. By G. A. HentT. With 
8 full -page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. Crown 
8 VO, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The record of two typical families — the Davenants, who, having come 
over with Strongbow, had allied themselves in feeling to the original in- 
habitants ; and the Whitefoots, who had been placed by Cromwell over 
certain domains of the Davenants. In the children the spirit of conten- 
tion has given place to friendship, and though they take opposite sides 
in the struggle between James and William, their good-will and mutual 
service are never interrupted, and in the end the Davenants come hap- 
pily to their own again. 

MAORI AND SETTLER 

A Story of the New Zealand War. By G. A. Henty. With 
8 full-page Illustrations by Alfred Pearse. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

The Renshaws emigrate to New Zealand during the period of the war 
with the natives. Wilfrid, a strong, self-reliant, courageous lad, is the 
mainstay of the household. He has for his friend Mr. Atherton, a botan- 
ist and naturalist of herculean st'ength and unfailing nerve and humor. 
In the adventures among the Maoris, there are many breathless moments 
in which the odds seem hopelessly against the party, but they succeed in 
establishing themselves happily in one of the pleasant New Zealand 
valleys. 

A FINAL RECKONING 

A Tale of Bush Life in Australia. By G. A. Henty. With 
8 full-page Illustrations by W. B. Wollen. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

The hero, a young English lad, after rather a stormy boyhood, emi- 
grates to Australia and gets employment as an officer in the mounted 
police. A few years of active work on the frontier, where he has many a 
brush with both natives and bush-rangers, gain him promotion to a cap- 
taincy, and he eventually settles down to the peaceful life of a squatter. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


13 


BY G. A. HENTY 

“ Mr. Henty’s books are welcome visitors in the home circle.”— News. 


THE BRAVEST OF THE BRAVE 

Or, With Peterborough in Spain. By G. A. Henty. With 
8 full-page Illustrations by H. M. Paget. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, SI. 50. 

There are few great leaders whose lives and actions have so completely 
fallen into oblivion as those of the Earl of Peterborough. This is largely 
due to the fact that they were overshadowed by the glory and successes 
of Marlborough. His career as General extended over little moire than 
a year, and yet, in that time, he showed a genius for warfare which has 
never been surpassed. 

THE DRAGON AND THE RAVEN 

Or, The Days of King Alfred. By G. A. Henty. With 8 full- 
page Illustrations by C. J. Staniland, R.I. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

In this story the author gives an account of the fierce struggle 
between Saxon and Dane for supremacy in England, and presents a vivid 
picture of the misery and ruin to which the country was reduced by the 
ravages of the sea-wolves. The hero, a young Saxon thane, takes part in 
all the battles fought by King Alfred. He is driven from his home, takes 
to the sea, and resists the Danes on their own element, and being pursued 
by them up the Seine, is present at the long and desperate siege of Paris. 

FACING DEATH 

Or, The Hero of the Vaughan Pit. A Tale of the Coal Mines. 
By G. A. Henty. With 8 full-page Illustrations by 
Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

“ Facing Death ” is a story with a purpose. It is intended to show that 
a lad who makes up his mind firmly and resolutely that he will rise in 
life, and who is prepared to face toil and ridicule and hardship to carry 
out his determination, is sure to succeed. The hero of the story is a 
typical British boy, dogged, earnest, generous, and though “shamefaced” 
to a degree, is ready to face death in the discharge of duty. 


BY SHEER PLUCK 

A Tale of the Ashanti War. By G. A. Henty. With 8 full- 
page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

The author has woven, in a tale of thrilling interest, all the details of 
the Ashanti campaign, of which he was himself a witness. His hero, 
after many exciting adventures in the interior, is detained a prisoner by 
the king just before the outbreak of the war, but escapes, and accom- 
panies the English expedition on their march to Coomassie. 


14 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY G. A. HENTY 

“ Mr. Henty mlglit with entire propriety be called the boys’ Sir Walter 
ScoiV'—Philaaelphia Press. 


THE CAT OF BUBASTES 

A Stoiy of Ancient Egypt. By G. A. Henty. With 8 full- 
page Illustrations. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

A story which will give young readers an unsurpassed insight into the 
customs of the Egyptian people. Amuba, a prince of the Rebu nation, is 
carried with his charioteer Jethro into slavery. They become inmates of 
the house of Ameres, the Egyptian high-priest, and are happy in his 
service until the priest’s son accidentally kills i he sacred cat of Bubastes. 
In an outburst of popular fury Ameres is killed, and it rests with Jethro 
and Amuba to secure the escape of the high-priest’s son and daughter. 

ONE OF THE 28 th 

A Tale of Waterloo. By G. A. Henty. With 8 full-page Il- 
lustrations by W. H. OvEKEND, and 2 Maps. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

The hero of this story, Ralph Conway, has many varied and exciting 
adventures. He enters the army, and after some rough service in Ire- 
land takes part in the Waterloo campaign, from which he returns with 
the loss of an arm, but with a substantial fortune. 

STURDY AND STRONG 

Or, How George Andrews made liis Way. By G. A. Henty. 
With 4 full-page Illustrations. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

The history of a hero of everyday life, whose love of truth, clothing 
of modesty, and innate pluck, carry him, naturally, from poverty to af- 
fluence. George Andrews is an example of character with nothing to 
cavil at, and stands as a good instance of chivalry in domestic life. 

TALES OF DARING AND DANGER 

By G. A. Henty. With 2 full-page Illustrations. Crown 
8vo, 75 cents. 

Containing five stories, varied in scene and character, but all of ad- 
venturous interest and telling of youthful heroism under dangerous and 
trying circumstances on land and on sea. 

YARNS ON THE BEACH 

By G. A. Henty. With 2 full-page Illustrations. Crown 
8vo, 75 cents. 

This book should find special favor among boys. The yarns are spun 
by old sailors, and are admirably calculated to foster a manly spirit. 


BOOKS FOR YOUKG PEOPLE 


15 


BY KIRK MUNROE 


THE “WHITE CONQUERORS” SERIES 


THROUGH SWAMP AND GLADE 

A Tale of the Seminole War. By Kirk Munroe, With 8 full- 
page Illustrations by Victor Perard. Crown 8vo, ^1.25. 

In this new story Mr. Munroe opens to view an exceedingly interesting 
period of American history — the period of the Seminole War in Florida. 
Coacoochee, the hero of the story, is a young Indian of noble birth, the 
son of Philip the chieftain of the Seminoles. He is a boy at the time of 
the beginning of the Seminole troubles and grows up to lead his tribe in 
the long struggle which resulted in the Indians- being driven from the 
north of Florida down to the distant southern wilderness. It is a 
dramatic story, set in scenes of rich tropical luxuriance, and peopled 
with the strangely contrasted characters of the place and period — the 
Spaniards, the English, the American soldiers, and the slave dealers, the 
negroes, the Indians, and the half-breeds. It is full of strange adventure, 
of stirring incident and rapid action, and it is a true and faithful picture 
of a period of history little known to young readers. The pictures will be 
highly appreciated by the reader, for they are well drawn, are full of life, 
and admirably illustrate the text. 


AT WAR WITH PONTIAC 

Or, The Totem of the Bear. A Tale of Beclcoat and Redskin. 
By Kirk Munroe. With 8 full-page Illustrations by 
J.'Finnemore. 12mo, ^1.25. 

A story of old days in America when Detroit was a frontier town and 
the shores of Lake Erie were held by hostile Indians under Pontiac. 
The hero, Donald Hester, goes in search of his sister Edith, who has 
been captured by the Indians. Strange and terrible are his experiences ; 
for he is wounded, taken i)risoner, condemned to be burned, and con- 
trives to escape. In the end there is peace between Pontiac and the 
English, and all things terminate happily for the hero. One dares not 
skip a page of this enthralling story. 


THE WHITE CONQUERORS 

A Tale of Toltec and Aztec. By Kirk Munroe. With 8 full- 
page Illustrations by W. S. Stacey. 12mo, $1.25. 

This story deals with the Conquest of Mexico by Cortes and his 
Spaniards, the “ White Conquerors,” who, after many deeds of valor, 
pushed their way into the great Aztec kingdom and established their 
power in the wondrous city where Montezuma reigned in barbaric 
splendor. 


16 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY ROBERT LEIGHTON 

“ Mr. Leighton’s place is in tbe front rank of writers of boys’ books.” 

—Standard. 


OLAF THE GLORIOUS 

By Robekt Leighton. With 8 full-page Illustrations by 
Ralph Peacock, Crown 8vo, olivine edges, ^1.50. 

This story of Olaf the Glorious, King of Norway, opens with the 
incident of his being found by his uncle living as a bond-slave in Esthonia, 
and it follows him through his romantic youth in the court of King Val- 
demar of Russia. Then come his adventures as a Viking and his raids 
upon the coasts of Scotland and England, his victorious battle against the 
English at Maldon in Essex, his being bought off by Ethelred the Unready, 
and his conversion to Christianity. He then returns to Pagan Norway, 
is accepted as king, and converts his people to the Christian faith. 

WRECK OF ^^THE GOLDEN FLEECE 

The Story of a North Sea Fisher-boy. By Robert Leighton. 
With 8 full-page Illustrations by Frank; Brangwyn. 
Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

A description of life on the wild North Sea — the hero being a parson’s 
son who is apprenticed on board a Lowestoft fishing lugger. The lad 
has to suffer many buffets from his shipmates, while the storms and dan- 
gers which he braved on board the North Star are set forth with 
minute knowledge and intense power. The wreck of the Golden Fleece 
forms the climax to a thrilling series of desperate mischances. 

THE THIRSTY SWORD 

A Story of the Norse Invasion of Scotland (1262-63). By 
Robert Leighton. With 8 full -page Illustrations by 
Alfred Pearse, and a Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, 
$1.50. 

Tills story tells how Roderic MacAlpin, the sea-rover, came to the Isle 
of Bute ; how he sle v his brother Earl Hamish in Rothesay Castle ; how 
Alpin, the earl’s eldest son, challenged his uncle to ordeal by battle, and 
was likewise slain; how young Kenric now became kingof Bute, and vowed 
vengeance against the slayer of his brother and father ; and finally, it tells 
how this vow was kept, when Kenric and the murderous sea rover met at 
midnight on Garroch Head, and ended their feud in one last great fight. 

THE PILOTS OF POMONA 

A Story of the Orkney Islands. By Robert Leighton. With 
8 full-page Illustrations by John Leighton, and a Map. 
Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

Halcro Ericson, the hero, tells his story with great simplicity and 
directness, and happens upon many exciting adventures and hardy ex- 
periences, through which he carries himself with quiet courage. The 
story gives a vivid presentation of the fisher-folk in these far northern 
islands. 


BOOKS FOR YOUKG PEOPLE 


IT 


BY HARRY COLLINGWOOD 


THE LOG -OF A PRIVATEERSMAN 

By Harky Collingwood. With 12 full-page Illustrations 
by W. Kainey, R.I. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

In the war between Napoleon and the British, many privateers were 
sent out from England to seize and destroy the French merchant vessels. 
On one of these, fitted out by his rich uncle, George Bowen went as 
second mate. Long distance duels at sea, fights at close quarters, fierce 
boarding attacks, capture and recapture, flight and pursuit, storm and 
wreck, fire at sea and days without food or water in a small boat on the 
ocean, are some of the many thrilling exptriences our hero passed 
through. By timely information to Nelson he defeats Admiral 
Villeneuve’s plans and so gains a command in the Royal Navy, ending 
his privateer life with honor and wealth. 

THE LOG OF "THE FLYING FISH" 

A Story of Aerial and Submarine Peril and Adventure. By 
Harry Collingwood. With 12 full-page Illustrations 
by Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

In this story the aim of the author has been, not only to interest and 
amuse, but also to stimulate a taste for scientific study. 

THE MISSING MERCHANTMAN 

By Harry Collingwood. With 6 full -page Pictures by W. 
H. Overend. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

A fine Australian clipper is seized by the crew ; the passengers are 
landed on one deserted island, the captain and a junior officer on another ; 
and the young hero of the story is kept on board to navigate the ship, 
which the mutineers refit as a pirate vessel. After many adventures 
Ned succeeded in carrying off the ship, and in picking up the captain 
and the passengers. 

THE CONGO ROVERS 

A Tale of the Slave Squadron. By Harry Collingwood. 
With 8 full-page Illustrations by J. Schonberg. Crown 
8vo, $1.00. 

The scene of this tale is laid on the west coast of Africa. The hero 
of the story, a midshipman on board of one of the ships of the slave 
squadron, is enabled to render much valuable service to his superior offi- 
cers in unmasking a most daring and almost successful ruse on the part 
of the slavers. 

THE ROVER'S SECRET 

A Tale of the Pirate Cays and Lagoons of Cuba. By Harry 
■ Collingwood. With 6 full- page Illustrations by W. C. 
Symons. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

The hero of “ The Rover’s Secret,” a young officer of the British navy, 
narrates his peculiar experiences in childhood and his subsequent perils 
and achievements. 


18 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


THE PIRATE ISLAND 

A Story of the South Pacific. By Harry Collingwood. 
Illustrated by 8 full-page Pictures by C. J. Staniland 
and J. R. Wells. Crown 8vo, ^1.50. 

This story details the adventures of a lad who was found in his infancy 
on board a wreck, and is adopted by a fisherman. By a deed of true 
gallantry his whole destiny is changed, and, going to sea, he forms one of 
a party who, after being burned out of their ship in the South Pacific, 
and experiencing great hardship and suffering in their boats, are picked 
up by a pirate brig and taken to the “Pirate Island.” After many 
thrilling adventures, they ultimately succeed in affecting their escape. 


BY S. BARING-GOULD 


GRETTIR THE OUTLAW 

A Stoiy of Iceland. By S. Baring-Gould. With 10 full- 
page Illustrations by M. Zeno Diemer, and a Colored 
Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

A narrative of adventure of the most romantic kind, and at the same 
time an intei’esting and minutely accurate account of the old Icelandic 
families. No bov v\ill be able to withstand the magic of such scenes as 
the fight of Grettir with twelve bearserks, and the wrestle with Karr the 
Old in the chamber of the dead. 

“Is the boys’ book of its year. It is told in simple, straightforward 
English, as all stories should be, and it has a freshness, a freeriom, a 
sense of sun and wind and the open air which make it irresistible.” 

— National Observer. 


BY F. FRANKFORT MOORE 


HIGHWAYS AND HIGH SEAS 

Cyril Harley’s Adventures on Both. By F. Frankfort 
Moore. With 8 full-page Illustrations by Alfred Pearse. 
Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The story belongs to a period when highways meant post-chaises, coachps, 
and highwaymen, and when high seas meant privateers and smugglers. 


UNDER HATCHES 

Or, Ned Woodthorpe’s Adventures. By F. Frankfort Moore. 
With 8 full -page Illustrations by A. Forestier. Crown 
8 VO, olivine edges, $1.50. 

In rescuing another lad from drowning, Ned Woodthorpe is taken on 
board a convict ship. After a series of exciting events the convicts and 
crew obtain the master5^ Ultimately the ship is recaptured and Ned 
and his friends escape from their troubles. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


19 


BY DR. GORDON STABLES 

» 


FOR LIFE AND LIBERTY 

A Story of Battle by Land and Sea. By Gordon Stables. 
With 8 full-page Illustrations by Sidney Paget. 12mo, 
$1.50. 

The story of an English boy who runs from home and joins the south- 
ern army in the late Civil War. He is accompanied by his chum, who 
enters the navy, and their various adventures in the great conflict are set 
forth wita great vigor and are unfailing in interest. 


TO GREENLAND AND THE POLE 

A Story of Adventure in the Arctic Regions. By Gordon 
Stables, M.P>., C.AI. With 8 full-page Illustrations by 
G. O. Hindley, and a Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, 
$1.50. 

The unfailing fascination of Arctic venturing is presented in this story 
with new vividness. The auttior is himself an old Arctic voyager, and 
he deals with skilobniitg in the north of Scotland, deer-hunting in Nor- 
way, sealing in the Arctic Seas, bear-stalking on the ice-flo s, the hard- 
ships of a journey across Gre nland, and a successful voyage to the back 
of the North Pole. This is, indeed, a real sea-yarn by a real sailor, and 
the tone is as bright and wholesome as the adventures are numerous. 


WESTWARD WITH COLUMBUS 

By Gordon Stables, M.D., C.M. With 8 full-page Illustra- 
tions by Alfred Pearse. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The hero of this story is Columbus himself. His career is traced from 
boyhood onward through the many hazardous enterprises in which he 
was at various times engaged. The narrative deals chiefly, however, 
with the great naval venture which Columbus conducted across the At- 
lantic, and which resulted in the discovery of the American continent. 
There were many dangers which threatened to wreck this momentous en- 
terprise, but these were all overcome by this indomitable man. 


^TWIXT SCHOOL AND COLLEGE 

A Tale of Self-reliance. By Gordon Stables, C.M. With 8 
full-page Illustrations by W. Parkinson. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

A story, the attractiveness of which lies less in the narration of startling 
adventures than in the incidents of home life which fill up the interval 
between the school life and college life of Fred Hallam. The hero is 
presented by his father with an outlying cottage and garden on the farm, 
and the gift is turned to pleasant account as a place of residence for a 
whole menagerie of pets dear to the heart of most healthy-minded boys. 


20 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN 

“ Mr. Fenn Is In the front rank of writers for boys. ’’—LiuerpooZ Mercury. 


DICK O' THE FENS 

A Komance of the Great East Swamp. By Geoege Manville 
Fenn. With 12 full- page Illustrations by Feank Dadd, 
Crown 8 VO, olivine edges, $1.50. 

Dick o’ the Pens and Tom o’Grimsey are the sons of a squire and a 
farmer living on the edge of one of the vast fen wastes, and their adven- 
tures are ot unusual interest. Shooting and fishing experiences are intro- 
duced in a manner which should stimulate the faculty of observation, and 
give a healthy love for country life ; while the record of the fen -men’s 
stealthy resistance to the great draining scheme is full ol the keenest in- 
terest. The ambushes and shots in the mist and dark, the incendiary fires, 
and the bursting of the sea-wall, are described with Mr. Penn’s wonted 
skill in the management of mystery. 

“We have not of late come across an historical fiction which deserves 
to be so heartily and unreservedly praised as regards plot, incidents, and 
spirit as ‘Dick o’ the Fens.’ It is its author’s masterpiece as yet.” 

— Spectator. 


BROWNSMITH'S BOY 

By Geoege Manville Fenn. With 6 page Illustrations. 
Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

The career of “ Brownsmith’s Boy” embraces the home adventures of 
an orphan, who, having formed the acquaintance of an eccentric old gar- 
dener, accepts his offer of a home and finds that there is plenty of romance 
in a garden, and much excitement even in a journev now and then to 
town. In a half-savage lad he finds a friend who shows his love and fidelity 
principally by pretending to be an enemy. In “Brownsmith’s Boy” there 
is abundance of excitement and trouble within four walls. 

“ ‘Brownsmith’s Boy’ excels all the numerous juvenile books that the 
present season has yet produced .” — The Academy. 

“Mr. Penn’s books are among the best, if not altogether the best, of 
the stories for boys. Mr. Fenn is at his best in this story.” 

— Pictorial World. 

YUSSUF THE GUIDE 

Being the Strange Story of Travels in Asia Minor. By Geoege 
Manville Fenn. With 8 full-page Illustrations by John 
S cHONBEEG. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

Deals with the stirring incidmts in the career of a lad who has been 
almost given over by the doctors, but who rapidly recoveis health and 
strength in a journey through Asia Minor. The adventures are many, 
and culminate in the travelers being snowed up for the winter in the 
mountains, from which they escape while their captors are waiting for 
the ransom that does not come. 

“Scenes that will have great novelty and attraction, and the experien- 
ces with the brigands will be especially delightful to Scotsman. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


21 


BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN 

“ Our boys know Mr. Fenn well, bis stories having won for him a foremost 
place in their estimation.” — Pall Mall Gazette. 


THE GOLDEN MAGNET 

A Tale of the Land of the Incas. By George Manville Fenn. 
With 12 full-page Pictures by Gordon Browne. Crown 
8vo, olivine edges, ^1.50, 

The tale of a romantic lad, who leaves home to seek his fortune in 
South America by endeavoring to discover some of that treasure which 
legends declare was ages ago hidden by the Peruvian rulers and priest, 
to preserve it from the Spanish invaders. He is accompanied by a faith- 
ful companion, who does true service, and shows the dogged courage of 
the British lad during the strange and exciting adventures which befall 
them. 

“ There could be no more welcome present for a boy. The book will 
be read with breathless interest .” — Journal oj Education. 


IN THE KING'S NAME 

Or, The Cruise of the Kestrel. By George Manville Fenn. 

Illustrated by 12 full-page Pictures by Gordon Browne. 

Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

"In the King’s Name” is a spirited story of the Jacobite times, concern- 
ing the adventures of Hilary Leigh, a young naval officer in the pre- 
ventive service off the coast of Sussex, on board the Kf't'trH. Leigh is 
taken prisoner by the adherents of the Pretender, amongst whom is an 
early friend and patron who desires to spare the lad’s life, but will not 
release him. The narrative is full of exciting and often humorous 
incident. 

“Told with the freshness and verve which characterize all Mr. Fenn’s 
writings and put him in the front rank of writers for boys. ” — Standard. 


MENHARDOC 

A Story of Cornish Nets and Mines. By George Manville 
Fenn. With 6 full-page Illustrations by C. J. Staniland, 
K.I. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

The scene of this story is laid among the granite piles and tors of Corn- 
wall. Adventures are pretty plentiful, but the story has for its strong 
base the development of character of the three boys. The sketches of 
Cornish life and local coloring are based upon experience in the bay, 
whose fishing village is called here Menhardoc. This is a thoroughly 
English story of phases of life but little touched upon in boy’s literature 
up to the present time. 

“ Mr. Fenn has written many books in his time ; he has not often 
written one which for genuine merit as a story for young people exceeds 
this. ” — Scotsman. 


22 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN 

“ No one can find Ms way to the hearts of lads more readily than Mr. Fenn.” 

—NottingJiam Guardian. 


BUNYIP LAND 

Tlie Story of a Wild Journey in New Guinea. By George 
Manville Fenn. With 6 full-page Illustrations by Gordon 
Browne. Crown 8vo, $1.50. 

“ Bunyip Land” is the story of an eminent botanist, who ventures into 
the interior of New Guinea in his search for new plants. Years pass 
away, and he does not return ; and though supposed to be dead, his 
young wife and son refuse to believe it ; and as soon as he is old enough 
young Joe goes in search of his father, accompanied by Jimmy, a native 
black. Their adventures are many and exciting, but after numerous 
perils they discover the lost one, a prisoner among the blacks, and bring 
him home in triumph. 

“ Mr. Fenn deserves the thanks of everybody for ‘ Bunyip Land,’ and 
we venture to promise that a quiet week may be reckoned on whilst the 
youngsters have such fascinating literature provided for them.” 

— Spectator. 


PATIENCE WINS 

Or, War in the Works. By George Manville Fenn. With 
6 full-page Illustrations. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

A graphic narrative of factory life in the Black Country. The hero and 
his three uncles set up “ a works,” but find that the workmen are deter- 
mined to have no new-fangled machinery. After a series of narrow 
escapes and stirring encounters, the workmen by degrees find that no 
malice is borne against them, and eventually a great business is built up, 
and its foundation laid on the good-will of the men. 

“ An excellent story, the interest being sustained from first to last. 
This is, both in its intention and the way the story is told, one of the 
best books of its kind which has come before us this year.” 

— Saturday Review. 

NAT THE NATURALIST 

A Boy’s Adventures in the Eastern Seas. By George 
Manville Fenn. Illustrated by 8 full-page Pictures by 
Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

Nat and his uncle Dick go on a voyage to the remoter islands of the 
Eastern seas, and their adventures there are told in a truthful and vastly 
interesting fashion. The descriptions of Mr. Ebony, their black com- 
rade, and of the scenes of savage life, are full of genuine humor. 

“ Mr. Fenn has here hit upon a capital idea. This is among the best 
of the boys’ books of the season.” — Times. 

“We can conceive of no more attractive present for a young natural- 
ist. ” — Land and Water. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


23 


BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN 

• Mr. Manville Fenn may be regarded as the successor In boyhood’s affec- 
tions of Captain Mayne Academy. 


QUICKSILVER 

Or, A Boy with no Skid to his Wheel. By George Manville 
Fenn. With 10 full-page Illustrations by Frank Dadd, 
Crown 8vo, olivine edges, ^1.50. 

Dr. Grayson has a theory that any boy, if rightly trained, can be made 
into a gentleman and a great man ; and in order to confute a friendly 
objector decides to select from the workhouse a boy to experiment with. 
He chooses a boy with a bad reputation but with excellent instincts, and 
adopts him, the story narrating the adventures of the mercurial lad who 
thus finds himself suddenly lifted several degrees in the social scale. 
The idea is novel and handled with Mr. Fenn’s accustomed cleverness. 

“Mr. Fenn possesses the true secret of producing real and serviceable 
boys’ books. Every word he writes is informed with full knowledge and, 
even more important, quick sympathy with all the phases of youthful 
life. In ‘Quicksilver’ he displays these qualities in a high degree.” 

— Dundee Advertiser. 


DEVON BOYS 

A Tale of the North Shore. By George Manville Fenn. 
With 12 full-page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. 
Crown 8 VO, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The adventures of Sep Duncan and his school friends take place in the 
early part of the Georgian era, during the wars between England and 
France. The scene is laid on the picturesque rocky coast of North 
Devon. Fishermen, smugglers, naval officers, and a stern old country 
surgeon play their parts in the story, which is one of honest adventure, 
with the mastering of difficulties in a wholesome manly way, mingled 
with sufficient excitement to satisfy the most exciting reader. 

“We do not know that Mr. Fenn has ever reached a higher level. 
‘ Devon Boys’ must be put in the very front rank of Christmas books.” 

— Spectator. 

“ An admirable story, as remarkable for the individuality of its young 
heroes as for the excellent descriptions of coast scenery and life in North 
Devon. It is one of the best books we have seen this season.” 

— Athenceum. 

MOTHER CAREY'S CHICKEN 

Her Voyage to the Unknown Isle. By George Manville Fenn. 
With 8 full-page Illustrations. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

A stirring story of adventure in the Eastern seas, where a lad shares 
the perils of his father, the captain of the merchant ship The P- trel. 

“Jules Verne himself never constructed a more marvelous tale. It 
contains the strongly marked features r.hat are always conspicuous in Mr. 
Fenn’s stories — a racy humor, the manly vigor of his sentiment, and 
wholesome moral lessons.” — ChrUtian Leader, 


24 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


THINGS WILL TAKE A TURN 

By Beateice Haeraden, author of “Ships that Pass in the 
Night.” Illustrated. 12mo, $1.00. 

The charm of this tale is its delicate, wistful sympathy. It is the 
story of a sunny- hearted child. Rosebud, who assists her grandfather in 
his dusty, second-hand bookshop. One cannot help being fascinated by 
the sweet little heroine, she is so engaging, so natural ; and to love Rose- 
bud is to love all her friends and enter sympathetically into the good 
fortune she brought them. 


TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO 

Or, The Adventures of a Eoman Boy. By Professor A, J. 
Church. With 12 full-page Illustrations by Adrien 
Marie. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The hero is a young Roman who has a very chequered career, being 
now a captive in the hands of Spartacus, again an officer on board a 
vessel detailed for the suppression of the pirates, and anon a captive 
once more, on a pirate ship. He escapes to Tarsus, is taken prisoner in 
the war with Mithradates, and detained by the latter in Pontus for a 
number of years. 

“The book is extremely entertaining as well as useful; there is a 
wonderful freshness in the Roman scenes and characters.” — Times. 


A CHAMPION OF THE FAITH 

A Tale of Prince Hal and the Lollards, By J. M. Caldvell. 
With 6 full-page Illustrations by Herbert J. Draper. 
Crown 8 VO, $1.50, 

The earlier part of this story deals with the merry escapades of Prince 
Hal and his favorite, Sir John Oldcastle. Then the narrative deepens 
in its interest when the Prince ascends the throne as Ht-nry V., while 
his old comrade becomes a Lollard and a champion of the new faith. As 
such, Sir John Oldcastle endures many hardships, and escapes from the 
Tower, but finally is captured by treachery and burnt at the stake. 

“A capital specimen of a historical tale, and a well told chapter in 
English life and manners in the days of Henry of Bolingbroke.” 

— The Spectator. 


THE WIGWAM AND THE WAR-PATH 

Stories of the Red Irdians. By Ascott R. Hope. Illustrated 
by Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

“Mr. Hope’s ‘ Wigwam and War-path’ is notably good ; it gives a very 
vivid picture of life among the Indians.”— 


BOOKS FOR YOUKG PEOPLE 


25 


GOLD, GOLD, IN CARIBOO 

A Story of Adventure in British Columbia. By Clive 
Phillipps-Wolley. With 6 full-page Illustrations by 
G. C. Bindley. Crown 8vo, ^1.25. 

Ned Corbett, and his companion, Steve Chance, set out with a pack- 
train in order to obtain gold on the upper reaches of the Frazer river. 
Many difficulties lie in their path, but chiefly they are the victims of an 
unscrupulous Yankee. After innumerable adventures, and a life-and- 
death struggle with the Arctic weather of that wild region, they find the 
secret gold mines for which they have toilsomely searched. 

WITH THE SEA KINGS 

A Story of the Days of Lord Nelson. By F. H. Windee. 
With 6 full-page Illustrations by W. S. Stacey. Crown 
8 VO, ^1.50. 

Philip Trevellon was an English lad who thought to become a Lord 
High Admiral like his hero, Horatio Nelson. By way of achieving this 
purpose, he ran away from home and joined a privateer. After taking 
part in the capture of a French frigate, he was captured by Corsairs and 
sold into slavery. He escaped, and his subsequent bravery in a sea fight 
brought him an interview with Lord Nelson, and promotion. Having 
been appointed to the Victory he took part in the battle of Trafalgar. 

THE CAPTURED CRUISER 

Or, Two Years from Land. By C. J. Hyne. With 6 full-page 
Illustrations by F. Brangwyn. Crown 8vo, SI. 25. 

The central incidents in this realistic story of modern naval warfare 
deal with the capture, during the recent war between Chili and Peru, of 
an armed cruiser. The heroes and their companions break from 
prison in the harbor of Valparaiso, board this war-ship in the nigh% 
overpower the watch, escape to sea under the fire of the foits, fight two 
torpedo boats, and finally, after marvelous adventures, lose the cruiser 
among the ice-bergs near Cape Horn. 

A TRUE CORNISH MAID 

By G. Norway. With 6 full-page Illustrations by J. Finne- 
MORE. Crown 8vo, SI. 25. 

A story of the Cornish coast when the press-gang brought terror into 
all its seaports, and smuggling was an everyday practice. The heroine 
of the tale is sister to a young fellow who gets into trouble in landing a 
contraband cargo, and shooting the officer in charge of the press-gang. 

YOUNG TRAVELLERS^ TALES 

By Ascott E. Hope. With 6 full-page Illustrations by H. J. 
Draper. Crown 8vo, ^1.25. 

“Possess a high value for instruction as well as for entertainment. 
His quiet, level humor bubbles up on every page .” — Daily Chronicle. 


26 


BOOKS FOR rOUXG PEOPLE 


THE LOSS OF JOHN HUMBLE 

What Led to It, and what Came of It. By G. Norway. With 
8 full-page Illustrations by John Schonberg. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, ^1.50. 

John Humble, an orphan, is sent to sea with his Uncle Rolf, the cap- 
tain of the Erl Kinq^ but in the course of certain adventures the boy is 
left behind at Portsmouth. He escapes to a Norwegian vessel, the 7’Aor, 
which is driven from her course in a voyage to Hammeifest, and 
wrecked on a desolate shore. The survivors experience the miseries of 
a long sojourn in the Arctic circle, but ultimately, with the aid of some 
friendly but thievish Lapps, they succeed in making their way to a 
reindeer station and so southward to Tornea and home again. 

HUSSEIN THE HOSTAGE 

Or, A Boy’s Adventures in Persia. By G. Norway. With 
8 full-page Illustrations by John Schonberg. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

A narrative of the adventures of the young Prince Hussein and his 
faithful follower, Askar, in their endeavor to free their oppressed tribe 
from the Persian yoke. They fall into captivity, are sold as slaves, 
but after escaping they attain success against the Persian forces. 

THE CLEVER MISS FOLLETT 

By J. K. H. Denny. With 12 full-page Illustrations by Ger- 
trude D. Hammond. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50, 

The story of a great fortune, and its attendant train of misfortunes. 
The Folletts are a middle-class family who suddenly found themselves 
in the possession of immense wealth, and the interest is obtained by 
showing what effect this chaime has upon their various characters. 
With fine subtlety the author depicts the schemes, duplicities, worries, 
and disappointments which follow the Folletts in their efforts to scram- 
ble into society and make aristocratic marriages. 

A FAIR CLAIMANT 

Being a Story for Girls. By Frances Armstrong. With 8 
full-page Illustrations by Gertrude D. Hammond. Crown 
8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

An exciting story of a young girl, the rightful heir to a large for- 
tune, who has been kept out of it, but who most honorably regains it, 
after much trial and difficulty. 

SOU'WESTER AND SWORD 

By Hugh St. Leger. With 6 full-page Illustrations by Hal 
Hurst. Crown 8vo, $1.50. 

“ As racv a tale of life at sea and war adventure as we have met with 
for some time. It is from first to last alivci with incident and character, 
and stamped with a vermity that suggests actual experience by the 
author of the things he describes. . . . Altogether it seems the sort 

of book that boys will revel in.” — Athenceum. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


2r 


IN PRESS-GANG DAYS 

By Edgar Pickering. With 6 full-page Illustrations by W. S. 
Stacey. Crown 8vo, ,^1.25. 

“ It is of Marryat we think as we read this delightful story ; for it is 
not only a story of adventure with incidents well conceived and ar- 
ranged, but the characters are interesting and well distinguished.” 

— Academy. 

ADVENTURES OF MRS. WISHING-TO-BE 

Alice Corkean, Witli 3 full-page Pictures in colors. 
Crown 8vo, 75 cents. 

A book of charming fairy tales in which Cinderella, Little Bo-Peep, 
and other old friends appear. 

JOANNS ADVENTURES 

At the North Pole and Elsewhere. By Alice Corkran. Il- 
lustrated. Crown 8vo, 75 cents, 

A beautiful dream-land story. 


DOWN THE SNOW STAIRS 

Or, From Good-night to Good-morning, By Alice Corkran. 
With 60 character Illustrations by Gordon Browne. 
Square crown 8vo, olivine edges, SI. 25. 

“A gem of the fir.st water, bearing upon every one of its pages the 
signet mark of genius. . . . All is told with such simplicity and 

perfect naturalness that the dream appears to be a solid reality. It is 
indeed a Little Pilgrim’s Progress .” — Christian Leader. 


MARGERY MERTON^S GIRLHOOD 

By Alice Corkran. With 6 full-page Illustrations by Gordon 
Browne. Crown 8vo, ^1.25. 

The experience of an orphan girl who in infancy is left by her father, 
an officer in India, to the care of an elderly aunt residing near Paris. 


MEG^S FRIEND 

By Alice Corkran. With 6 full-page Illustrations by Kobert 
Fowler. Crown 8vo, ^1.25. 

Meg has been brought up by a woman who abuses the trust. She is 
removed to a lady’s school and is ultimately taken into the house of a 
mysterious benefactor who proves to be her grandfather. After a long 
separation she once more meets the friend of her childhood. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


A PRISONER OF WAR 

A Story of the Time of Napoleon Bonaparte. By G, Norway. 
With 6 full-page Illustrations by Egbert Barnes, 
A.E.W.S. Crown 8vo, ^1.25. 

“More hairbreadth escapes from death by starvation, by ice, by 
fighting, etc., were never before surmounted. . . . It is a fine yarn.” 

— The Guardian, 

TI-iE SECRET OF THE OLD HOUSE 

A Story for Children. By Evelyn Everett Green. With 4 
full-page Illustrations by L. Leslie Brooke. Crown 8vo, 

Si.oo. 

“ Tim, the little Jacobite, is a charming creation.” — Academy. 

SIR WALTER'S WARD 

A Tale of the Crusades. By William Everard. Illustrated 
by Walter Paget. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 

“ A highly fascinating work, dealing with a period which is always 
suggestive of romance and deeds of daring.” — Schoolmaster. 

THREE BRIGHT GIRLS 

A Story of Chance and Mischance. By Annie E. Armstrong. 
With 6 full-page Illustrations by W. Parkinson. Crown 
8vo, $1,25. 

“ The story is charmingl}' told, and the book can be warmly recom- 
mended as a present for girls.” — Sta7idard. 

“Among many good stories for girls this is undoubtedly one of the 
very best.” — Teachers^ Aid. 

A VERY ODD GIRL 

Life at the Gabled Farm. By Annie E. Armstrong. With 6 
full-page Pictures by S. T. Dadd. Crown 8vo, $1.25, 

“We can heartily recommend the book, for it is not only bright and 
interesting, but also pure and healthy in tone and teaching.” — The Lady. 

THE HEIRESS OF COURTLEROY 

By Anne Beale. With 8 page Illustrations by T. C. H. 
Castle. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine edges, $1.50, 

“We can speak highly of the grace with which Miss Anne Beale re- 
lates how the young ‘Heiress of Courtleroy’ had such good influence 
over her uncle as to win him from his intensely selfish ways in regard 
to his tenants and others.” — Guardian. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


29 


MISS WILLOWBURN'S OFFER 

By Sarah Doudney. Illustrated. Crown 8vo, 

“Sarah Doudney has no superior as a writer of high-toned stories; 
pure in style, original in conception, and with skillfully wrought-out 
plots .” — Christian Leader. 

UNDER FALSE COLORS 

A Story from Two Girls’ Lives. By Sarah Doudney. With 
6 full-page Illustrations by G.G. Kilburne. Or. 8vo, $1.25. 

A story which has in it so strong a dramatic element that it will attract 
readers of all ages and of either sex. The incidents of the plot, arising 
from the thoughtless indulgence of a deceptive freak, are exceedingly 
natural, and the keen interest of the narrative is sustained from be- 
ginning to end. 

THORNDYKE MANOR 

A Tale of Jacobite Times. By Mary C. Kowsell. With 6 
full-page Illustrations by L. Leslie Brooke. Cr. 8vo, 
$1.25, 

Is an old house near the mouth of the Thames which is convenient on 
account of its secret vaults and situation as the basis of operation in the 
Jacobite conspiracy. In conseqtience its owner finds himself suddenly 
involved by a treacherous steward in the closest meshes of the plot. He 
is conveyed to the Tower, but all difficulties are finally overcome and his 
innocence triumphantly proved by his sister. 

TRAITOR OR PATRIOT 

A Tale of the Rye-House Plot. By Mary 0. Eowsell. With 
6 full-page Pictures. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 

“ A romantic love episode, whose true characters are life-like beings, 
not dry sticks as in many historical tales.” — Graphic. 

HAL HUNGERFORD 

Or, The Strange Adventures of a Boy Emigrant. By J. R. 
Hutchinson. With 4 full-page Illustrations by Stanley 
Berkeley. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

“ There is no question whatever as to the spirited manner in which the 
story is told; the death of the mate of the smuggler by the teeth of the 
dog is especially effective. ‘Hal Hungerford’ is a distinct literary 
success. ” — Spectator. 

GIRL NEIGHBORS 

Or, The Old Fashion and the New. By Sarah Tytler. With 
8 full-page Illustrations by C. T. Garland. Cr. 8vo, $1.00. 
“One of the most effective and quietly humorous of Miss Ty tier’s 
storks. ‘ Girl Neighbors’ is a pleasa d comedy, not so much of errors as 
of prejudices got rid of, very healthy, very agreeable, and very well 
written. ” — Spectator, 


30 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


AN OLD-TIME YARN 

Wherein is set forth Divers Desperate Mischances which Befell 
Anthony Ingram and his Shipmates in the West Indies and 
Mexico with Hawkins and Drake. By Edgar Pickering. 
Illustrated with 6 full-page Pictures drawn by Alfred 
Pearse. Crown 8vo, ^1.25. 

“ An excellent story of adventure. Especially good is the description 
of Mexico and of the dungeons of the Inquis.tion. while Don Di* go Polo 
is a delightful mix ure of bravery and humor, and his rescue of the 
unfortunate prisotieis is told with great spirit. ‘An Old-Time Yarn’ is 
thoroughly to be recommended.” — Guardian. 

SILAS VERNEY 

A Tale of the Time of Charles II. By Edgar Pickering. 
With' 6 full- page Illustrations by Alfred Pearse. Crown 
8vo, ^1.25. 

“Mr. Pickering reels otF the narrative with spirit, rather reminding 
us of Mr. Stevenson in such books as ‘ Kidnapped.’ ” — The Times. 

COUSIN GEOFFREY AND I 

By Caroline Austin. With 6 full-page Illustrations by W. 
Parkinson. Crown 8vo, ^1.25. 

The only daughter of a country gentleman finds herself unprovided 
for at her father’s death, and f<>r some time lives as a dei'endant. She 
finally makes a brave attempt to earn her own livelihood, and being a 
splendid rider, she succeeds in doing this untd the startling event which 
brings her cousin Geoffrey and herself together again. 

HUGH HERBERT'S INHERITANCE 

By Caroline Austin. With 6 full -page Illustrations by C. T. 
Garland. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 

‘ ‘ A story that teaches patience as well as courage in fighting the battles 
of life .” — Daily Chronicle. 

UNLUCKY 

A Fragment of a Girl's Life. By Caroline Austin. Illus- 
trated. Crown 8 VO, 75 cents. 

A touching story of an unlucky girl at odds with her stepmother. 

LAUGH AND LEARN 

The Easiest Book of Nursery Lessons and Nursery Games. By 
Jennett Huaiphreys. Charmingly Illustrated. Square 
8vo, $1.25. 

“ One of the best books of the kind imaginable, full of practical teach- 
ing in word and picture, and helping the little ones pleasantly along a 
right royal road to learning.” — Graphic. 


BOOKS FOR TOUKG PEOPLE 


31 


SOME STORIES OF ADVENTURE 


HALLOWE^EN AHOY I 

Or, Lost on the Crozet Is- 
lands. By Hugh St. Leger. 
With 6 page Illustrations. 
Crown 8vo, $1.50. 

An exciting story of shipwreck 
and adventure in the South Atlan- 
tic. The H ulowe'en is found a 
derelict with only a girl on board, 
and after many experiences it is 
sailed to England. 

REEFER AND RIFLEMAN 

A Tale of the Two Services. 
By J. Percy Groves. Illus- 
trated. Crown 8 VO, $1.25. 

THE SEARCH FOR THE 
TALISMAN 

A Tale of Labrador. By 
Henry Frith. Illustrated. 
Crown 8vo, $1.25. 

FAMOUS DISCOVERIES BY 
SEA AND LAND 

Illustrated. Crown 8 vo, $1.00. 

STORIES OF THE SEA IN 
FORMER DAYS 
Narratives of Wreck and Res- 
cue. Illustrated. Crown 
8vo, $1.00. 


FROM THE CLYDE TO 
THE JORDAN 

By Hugh Call an. With 30 
Illustrations and a Map. 
Crown 8vo, $1.50. 

An interesting story of a bicycle 
trip through Europe and Palestine. 

UNDER THE BLACK 
EAGLE 

By Andrew Hilliard. Illus- 
trated. Crown 8\ro, $1.00. 
The adventures of a young Eng- 
lish lad who was imprisoned in 
Russia and sent to Siberia, from 
which he escaped across Asia. 

JACK OTANTHORN 

A Tale of Adventure. By 
Henry Frith. Illustrated. 
Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

THE WAR OF THE AXE 

Or, Adventures in South Af- 
rica. By J. Percy Groves. 
Illustrated. Crown 8vo, 
$ 1 . 00 . 

TALES OF CAPTIVITY 
AND EXILE 

By W. B. Fortescue. Illus- 
trated. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 


HISTORICAL STORIES 


A THANE OF WESSEX 

Being a Story of the Great 
Viking Raids into Somerset. 
By Charles W. Whistler. 
Illustrated. Crown 8vo, 
$1.25. 

BROTHERS IN ARMS 

A Story of the Crusades. 
By F. Bayford Harrison. 
Illustrated. Crown 8vo, 
$ 1 . 00 . 


TWO GALLANT REBELS 

A Story of the Great Struggle 
of La Vendee. By Edgar 
Pickering. Illustrated. 
Crown 8vo, $1.25. 

STORIES OF OLD RENOWN 

Tales of Knights and Heroes. 
By Ascott R. Hope. Illus- 
trated. Crown 8 VO, $1.25. 

STIRRING EVENTS OF 
HISTORY 

Illustrated. Crown 8vo, $1.00, 


32 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


SOME BOOKS FOR GIRLS 

THE WHISPERING WINDS 

And the Tales that they Told. By Maky H. Debenham, 
With 25 Illustrations by Paul Habdy, Crown 8vo, $1. 00. 

“We wish the winds would tell us stories like these. It would be 
worth while to climb Primrose Hill, or even to the giddy heights of 
Hampstead Heath in a bitter east wind, if we could only be sure of hear- 
ing such a sweet, sad, tender, and stirring story as that of Hilda Brave 
Heart, or even one that was half so good.” — Academy. 


By MRS. R. H. READ 
Dora : Or, A Girl Without a 
Home. Illustrated. Crown 
8 VO, $1.25. 

“It is no slight thing to get a 
story so pure and healthy as this.” 

— Academ'j. 

By AMY WALTON 
White Lilac : Or, The Queen 
of the May. Illustrated. 
Crown 8vo, $1,00. 

“Every parish ought to add 
‘White Lilac ’ to its Library.” 

— Academy. 

By JULIA GODDARD 
The Golden Weathercock. 

Illustrated. Crown 8vo, 

$ 1 . 00 . 

“ A cleverly conceived, quaint 
story. ’ ’ — Saturday Rev lew. 

By MARGARET PARKER 
For the Sake of a Friend. 

A Story of School Life. Il- 
lustrated. Crown8vo,$l,00. 
A bright story of two good girl 
friends. 

By CLARA MULHOLLAND 
Naughty Miss Bunny : Her 

Tricks and Troubles. Illus- 
trated. Cr. 8vo, 75 cents. 
“ This naughty child is posi- 
tively delightful.” 

— Land and Water. 


By M. CORBET-SEYMOUR 
Dulcie King : A Story for 
Girls. Illustrated. Crown 
8vo, $1.00. 

‘ ‘ An extremely graceful, well- 
told tale. ” 

By ROSA MULHOLLAND 
Banshee Castle. Illustrated. 
Crown 8 VO, $1.50. 

The story of three bright and 
lively young girls who fall heir to 
an old castle in the west of Ireland. 
Their struggles to live in it on lit- 
tle money, and their strange ex- 
periences, are deeply interesting. 

Four Little flischiefs. Il- 
lustrated. Cr. 8 VO, 75 cents. 
“ A charming bright story about 
real children.” — Watchman. 
Giannetta. A Girl’s Story of 
Herself. Illustrated. Crown 
8vo, $1.50. 

“ Extremely well-told and full of 
interest. ” — Academy. 

Hetty Gray : Or, Nobody’s 
Bairn. Illustrated. Crown 
8 VO, $1.00. 

“ Hetty is a delightful creature, 
piquant, tender, and true.” 

— London World. 

The Late fliss Hollingford. 

Illustrated. Crown 8vo, 75 
cents. 

This story was a special favorite 
of Charles Dickens, and the title 
was chosen by him. 


CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 

J53-J57 Fifth Avenue, New York 

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